About Us

Thank you for your interest in Jasmine Art Glass!

We've found that the best way to describe who we are is to describe what it is we do. That story usually starts with a question - "What is fused glass and how is it made?"

Jasmine fused glass is created in a process that has been developed and refined over more than twenty years by artist Benjamin Chang in his San Francisco based studio. Benjamin holds a Master of Fine Arts degree and has spent his adult life honing his talents and developing unique glass fusion techniques.

The fusing of glass (with or without added, non-glass components) is done at temperatures just exceeding the glass's melting point which causes the individual components to meld together into a unified piece. Dimension can be added to the piece by placing the glass on top of different shaped molds (materials with higher melting points than glass) so that when the glass begins to melt, it flows into or drapes over the mold and takes shape. This is how bowls, bowled platters, and other dimensional pieces are typically made. Sometimes the pieces are created in a multiple firing sequence: first some glass pieces are fused together, and in a second firing, a mold is used to give the piece shape and form.

First in the process, Ben develops a vision of a new piece or series and then, with a sense of direction envisioned, the artistry takes over and the final design begins to evolve. Clear or colored glass is laid out in the artist's design pattern, typically consisting of overlapping pieces and colors. Color frits may also be applied that will flow into place in the hot kiln. Sometimes items other than glass are creatively incorporated into the design, such as copper wires, square or rectangular pieces, and mesh screens. Once all the components are positioned, the layered assembly is carefully placed into a high temperature glass kiln where it is fired. In this step, too, Ben has developed some proprietary methods of handling and positioning the glass components. He's determined the optimum kiln temperatures and the optimum rates at which the kiln must be heated and cooled - all based on the individual compositions being fired. All of this and more is critical to a successful firing.

Once finished with the fusion process, the art is ready for the next and integral component of the original design vision; hand-painted accent details are skillfully and artistically applied, typically with a brush. This step sets apart the artistry of Jasmine Art Glass.