About the artist

For more than two decades, Ed Kachurik has been creating unique transparent sculptures in glass, and he continues to grow as an artist by experimenting with new designs, colors and materials. The Pittsburgh native has been working with hot glass since 1978, having learned to combine talent with technique at North Carolina's Penland School and, later, at Penn State University.

Kachurik's signature technique, called veiling, involves the application of a metallic coating to the hot glass, which is then covered with more glass, thus trapping the color inside the sculpture. By experimenting with precious metals and chemicals, Kachurik creates his own unique colors, perfectly complementing the inherent qualities of the glass sculpture itself.

Every design is shaped by hand, using wooden blocks and damp newspaper to protect the artist's skin from the 2600-degree molten glass. The sculptures must then be annealed, or cooled at a controlled rate to prevent cracking. Later, they are hand ground and polished. Each flat surface of the sculpture must go through six different steps of polishing to achieve the optical polished finish. The facets are added to give visual enhancement to the interior glass veiling. Lastly, each piece is personally signed.

Creations Gallery offers a variety of Kachurik glass designs. The pieces range from 4-13 inches in height and $98 to $1,100 in price. The artist also offers custom designs, through the gallery. At www.kachurik.com, customers can see his entire collection and then contact Creations to make a purchase or to place an order.