About

Michelle Brady Studio.  

I was drawn to fused glass via my holistic therapies. As a holistic therapist, I have experience of how colour has had a positive effect on my clients as well as my own mood, health and well-being. With my fused glass creations my aim is to assist people’s healing journeys through the reflection of lights in the glass pieces along with the colours of the chakra’s (rainbow colours) and colour therapy. The fused glass creations are also pieces of art to wear or to adorn your living space.

 

My Fused Glass Journey started as a birthday treat in 2022.  I enjoyed the workshop feeling very relaxed, and enjoyed the mindfulness / therapeutic and creative process.  The day was an introduction to fused glass, the materials and fusing process and then able to let the creativity flow while making our items. I found the experience very therapeutic and relaxed. 

 

On the journey home I realised that I was missing the creativity within me.  That life had gotten so busy and I hadn’t been taking the time for me. (having taken a break from photography, due to small children/family commitments and training as a holistic therapist) 

 

When my eye would catch my glass creation it would give a great sense of achievement, transporting me back to the day it was made and the calmness that I experienced.  As the light would catch and shine through the suncatcher, bowls, I would always feel uplifted.

 

I found myself searching for other workshops and opportunities to learn more about fused glass process and to allow myself to be transported to the mindfulness, calm, relaxed and creative experience.  I travelled to Westport and England to further develop my skills and learn as much as I could.

 

My holistic clients were also intrigued they would comment on my creations, and enquire about the learning process, and were interested in learning more. 

 

One day as I was sitting at my breakfast bar having a cuppa and the sun shone through the window and caught my bowl sending out colour reflecting around the room, it remined me of how important colour is in our lives and how colour can contribute to our mood.  

 

Colour is all around us, through our house furnishings, clothing we wear /see.  Have you noticed how you feel on a grey cloudy day?  When the sky is blue and the sun is shining?

 

This give me the idea of combining my fused glass with my holistic therapies business to give clients the opportunity to spend time being creative on an item that they get to take home in a mindful, calm and relaxed environment.

 

I purchased of my first kiln and continued to learn more about this technique building my knowledge and expertise. Pieces of my work can be purchased at selected craft fairs, through retail outlets and via my website Michelle Brady Studio 

 

What is fused glass

Fused glass, also know as ‘Kiln-formed glass’ is the process, where two or more pieces of compatible sheets of glass come together to be fused in a kiln.  The firing of the glass happens at high temperature of up to 800 degrees census and can take over 24 hours.  Second firing are required to mould /slump the product into shapes to produce huge range of bowl, jewellery, sculptures etc. There are various clear and coloured glass sheets, frits, powders, stringers to choose from in making your creation.

 

Glass fusing teaches you about how glass directly interacts with heat, how to safely cut and fuse glass into one piece. There are three basic techniques involved: – fusing, slumping and casting.  When these processes are mastered there are no limits to the creative potential that is available.