16" Bamboo, Part 1

 

We are currently working on a 16" Bamboo shade. Visitors to the studio often assume that the individual pieces of glass have been bent to create a rounded shade. We explain that while the patterns give the illusion that the glass has been rounded, the pieces themselves are flat. The exception is the bamboo shade patterns where the long leaves make it necessary to slump the pieces to conform to the curvature of the lamp form.

After being cut and fit to the pattern, each long leaf is put onto a slumping form in our kiln and heated. The form has been made to mimic the curvature of the lamp form.

Once slumped, the curved pieces are foiled in preparation for soldering the shade. The pieces that fit around the curved leaves remain flat. Here is a short video showing Bill Campbell placing and firing the pieces in the kiln.