FuseNews

The Glass Tapestry of David Alcala
By Gil Reynolds

It's not easy to turn the tables on established art techniques, but sometimes 90 degrees can make a big difference. Consider the work of David Acala. Instead of working his designs flat on a table, he works with his art turned 90 degrees onto its edge to create some of the most unique landscapes ever made with fused glass. Having spent many years creating artwork out of colored sand, he started to see the potential in working with crushed glass frit.

His art shows a mastery over the vertical assembly approach to constructing a glass piece. Gravity plays a part in the design process. Mounds of glass frit tend to form 45-degree angles as gravity pulls the partials downward. In geologic terms this is called the 'angle of repose'. This can be a limiting factor or a blessing depending upon your point of view, but is appropriate that he chooses to portray landscape forms. The forces of nature are at play here both in his imagery and his process. He creates mountains worn away by the elements. Rows of ocean surf crash against weathered rock as clouds float nonchalantly in the sky.

Like a weaver working in rows he pours layers or particles of colored glass particles into a thin glass walled container. As the image materializes, different colored layers of packed frit are moved, stirred, coaxed and sculpted into detailed images. Although the finished scene looks detailed and time consuming, David can create one in about an hour's time.

One really needs to feel the process to understand its fluidity. In some regards it's similar to working molten glass in that motion, timing, preplanning and touch play such important roles in the execution of a finished piece of art. David says this about the process. "Unless you experience the technique, you won't know how naturally it flows and comes together." But many of those who have tried have amazed themselves as well as others with their results and have discovered that Glass Tapestry is truly a new approach or shall we say, new angle in glass fusing. When it comes to new ideas and processes I like to refer to an ancient proverb.

If you tell me, I will forget.
If you show me, I will remember.
If you let me do it, I will understand."