James R. Wilbat has explored many paths with his artistic ability, but working in glass has kept him captivated for over 25 years. His love of abstract expressionist painting shines through his creations, which he describes as a combination of Old World Glass and contemporary design. Wilbat uses glass shards, hollow cane, and the twists for which he is known, to create miniature worlds of color and light in the form of sculpture, paperweights, vessels, and perfume bottles. He has developed a complex process of blowing, hand-tooling, and fusing glass to create his uniquely textured, vibrant designs.

Using a 5-ft. stainless-steel rod, Wilbat gathers clear glass from a 150 pound tank of molten crystal, heated at a constant 2200 degrees. Gradually he builds up the layers on the end of the pipe, shaping the hot glass with specially carved cherrywood molds or folded wet newspaper. The rod must be turned continually to prevent the glass from losing its shape. When the glass is the desired size and shape, Wilbat picks up the pre-cut heated strands of color from the annealing oven and fuses them into the clear glass. He keeps the piece he is working on at a constant temperature by frequently warming it in a reheat chamber. The glass is then shaped further, knocked off the pipe, and placed into an annealing oven which is approximately 900 degrees, where it will cool slowly overnight. Once the piece is cooled, it is ground and polished on several different grinding stones to smooth the bottom. Wilbat's work is available through numerous prestigious art galleries and juried art festivals across the country. For more information about James R. Wilbat, please visit the website: www.wilbatglass.com.

James R. Wilbat Glass Studio
924 Woodward Avenue
Deerfield, IL 60015
847-940-0015
www.wilbatglass.com