Making Ariel Blanks with Cane

I wanted to explore a new method for constructing Ariel blanks using glass cane as the primary material. The goal of this process is to introduce structure, color, and line into the blank itself, establishing visual information before any carving takes place.

The process begins in the hot shop by rolling pre-pulled glass cane onto a hot collar. Once the canes are rolled up, the tube is closed and turned into a cup that will later serve as the outermost layer of the blank.

After annealing, the blank moves into the sandblaster for carving. Vinyl is applied to the surface and selectively cut away, allowing material to be removed in controlled areas. Because the cane runs throughout the blank, carving reveals internal lines and color transitions rather than cutting into a neutral surface. The imagery emerges through subtraction, exposing patterns that already exist within the glass.

Once carving is complete, the blank returns to the hot shop for encasement and blowing. As the glass is reheated and expanded, the internal cane structure stretches and shifts, creating depth and optical variation. Lines soften, colors compress, and the carved imagery becomes suspended within the final form.

The finished pieces reflect each stage of the process: the placement of cane, the decisions made during carving, and the transformations that occur during blowing. By constructing the blank with cane from the outset, this approach offers a different way of working with Ariel—one that emphasizes layering, material continuity, and the relationship between making and revealing.