Images Captured in Glass   By: Ken Rosenfeld Photography by: Eric Griswold

I have always been attracted to small precious objects.  To me, it is perfectly natural and logical to work with the paperweight form.  The slick, glassy surface and reassuring weight of the piece are very satisfying.  The circular shape is one of the most basic and primal in existence.  The idea of sealing an aesthetically created image under a dome of glass has a magical quality to it.  How can it be floating, suspended in the middle of the sphere?  The curved surface adds to the mystery, because one can never tell exactly how big or how small the encased image is due to magnification.  One has visual access to the work, but it can never be touched; it is sealed forever!

I enjoy and prefer producing commonplace everyday imagery.  It is important to me to connect with collectors with familiar subject matter.  I am not interested in presenting random bubbles, patterns, or swirls as design elements, but rather attaining a distinct, sharp rendering in glass.  Meeting this challenge successfully is definitely a measure of skill.  I make primarily floral designs because they are appreciated the world over - they are universal.  My work is also a point of reference for the collector - to see how I make a sunflower or a rose and compare it to his or her own idea of that subject.  The more an artist can reveal, the better he will be able to communicate, and this determines his ultimate success.

Glass is a material unlike any other, and working with it is a learned skill.  Along with an aptitude and reasonable amount of dexterity, there is no substitute for experience.  One also has to have a tremendous capacity to withstand frustration.  There have been countless hours of intense labor that seem to have been entirely fruitless.  Seemingly endless examples with cracked flowers or terrible bubbles will truly test the artist's determination.  However, when a piece turns out as planned, it is very gratifying.  In it, I have created a personal vision of color, balance, and clarity - an object of beauty that with reasonable care will last for generations.

"The most important aspect for me is color. Beautiful, rich colors transmitted through clear glass have a wonderful quality unlike any other art form."

Figure 1 (above):  Raspberry and Blue Daisy Bouquet.  3 1/4" diameter.       Figure 2 (left):  Yellow Daisy Bouquet with Roses. 3 1/4" diameter.       Figure 3 (below):  Sunflower. 2 1/2" diameter.

"I have created a personal vision of color, balance, and clarity - an object of beauty..."

"When collectors hold a paperweight in their hands, there is a connection between them and the artist. It becomes a personal art form - a window into the state of mind of the artist."

Figure 4 (above):  Monarch Butterfly. 2 1/2" diameter.   Figure 5 (right):  Frog on Branch. 2 1/2" diameter.   Figure 6 (below):  Pink Daisies with Berries. 3 1/4" diameter.

"The use of color, detail, and complexity can produce powerful imagery."

Paperweight making is an extremely honest endeavor with no shortcuts or tricks.  The transparent nature of the glass reveals every subtle motion that was taken by the artist.  Each paperweight is a recording in time, like a photograph.  All is revealed and nothing is hidden.  This quality, however, becomes one of the greatest benefits of this type of glassworking.  I preserve every subtle and delicate motion I make.  These are then combined to create complex designs which are then rendered into highly detailed images.  These capabilities are what sets lampworking apart from all other glassworking.  The use of color, detail, and complexity can produce powerful imagery.  When collectors hold a paperweight in their hands, there is a connection between them and the artist.  It becomes a personal art form - a window into the state of mind of the artist.

The daily challenge is not only to create a pleasing design but also to proceed through the entire paperweight process and maintain absolute concentration every step of the way, something which is physically demanding.

 

I have many considerations on my mind when I sit down to design a new paperweight.  The most important aspect for me is color.  Beautiful, rich colors transmitted through clear glass have a wonderful quality unlike any other art form.  I want the color to draw in the viewer and hold his attention.  

Next in importance is the composition.  Does it have balance?  Does it flow and fit within its space?  Do all the elements of the design blend together?  I am interested in creating images that are balanced and complete.  The viewer must be satisfied that all of the elements are present.  There should be nothing omitted and not too much squeezed into the piece.     Next is detail and level of execution.  Is there sufficient detail to hold the viewer's interest?  Often, this can only be achieved by a high level of craftsmanship.  Sometimes it can take the viewer hours to discover the small, hidden details.  The overall look of the piece is always dependent upon consistent, high caliber workmanship.     My approach to my work evolves as I gain experience.  As my skills expand, my technique improves; and this in turn influences my design choices.  Attempting more ambitious pieces is tempered with the knowledge that some things just will not work.  For example, certain glass cannot be put directly adjacent to others because they have a coefficient of expansion that is too great and would cause the piece to crack.  As glass is heated and cooled, it expands and contracts.  Different chemicals and oxides used to create different colors add to and change these coefficients, and therefore make certain kinds of glass incompatible.

"What appears to be a simple pink flower with yellow stamens, for example, is not composed of just two colors but can have as many as six or seven colors in it."

Other technical considerations must be taken into account as well.  Often times several different kinds of glass must be combined and overlaid to achieve the desired effect.  What appears to be a simple pink flower with yellow stamens, for example, is not composed of just two colors but can have as many as six or seven colors in it.  Virtually every component used as a design element in my work is made up of several different kinds of glass.  A typical paperweight may contain as many as twenty different colors of glass!  

 

The technique of manipulating glass rods in the flame of a torch and then encasing them can produce a very profound and powerful effect.  I believe this process is one of the highest and best uses of glass as an art form.  It is a natural and logical evolution of glass art and for me, personally, a pure joy!

 

I have a background as an off-hand glassblower and as a scientific glassblower.  Spending years with these endeavors has provided a solid base for developing my lampworking skills.  Lampworking glass is fascinating - the more energy you devote to it, the more it will reward you.  It is demanding and difficult, but the results become more dramatic and detailed as time passes and one's skill level improves.  The long learning curve and development of hand eye coordination require tremendous determination, and this  is a lifelong challenge.   I truly believe that lampworked paperweights stand at the pinnacle of artistic and technical glassworking.  

 

 

To Learn More:

 

The early work of Ken Rosenfeld is shown in the article "Ken Rosenfeld:  Evolution of an Artist" by Lawrence H. Selman in the 1988 Annual Bulletin of the Paperweight Collectors Association, Inc.

 

 

About the Author:

 

Ken Rosenfeld has been a paperweight artist since the mid 1980s.  His studio, Ken Rosenfeld Glass, is in Milwaukie, Oregon., and his website is www.kenrosenfeld.com.