Helios Kiln Fused Glass
Helios Kiln Fused Glass
Written by Candace Birkelbach Friday, 26 September 2008
Fused glass creations are heated in a 1500-degree kiln oven to reshape and fuse the separate pieces together while stained glass projects remain at room temperature. The shop owners hope that more businesses will move into the complex, creating an artistic village for Northwest Austin.
After switching from hobby to hobby, Paul Tarlow finally found something he could stick to with kiln glass fusing. His wife, Karen, thought glass fusing would be another short-lived interest for Paul, but eventually became passionate about the art form herself. The idea of opening their own kiln glass studio was always a dream for the couple that finally became reality after their two children left for college. The family opened Helios Kiln Glass Studio in 2007 to share their interest with others.
“I love this. There’s so many things you can do with glass and kiln that you never get bored or stop learning,” Paul said. “Every day I come in to teach a class, I watch someone do something that I never thought to do — it’s continuous [learning].”
Paul became friends with the owners of Artisan Stained Glass and jumped at the opportunity to open his store when the space next to them became available. The storeowners are highly collaborative, teaching several hybrid classes together.
“If people are going to explore other things, we’d rather have them close by than go across town,” Paul said.
Paul said his store is one of few in the country that is 100 percent dedicated to kiln fused glass. All materials are included in the cost of the classes, giving students free range to choose from the array of shapes, colors and patterns of glass that Helios offers. Students learn to make projects like picture frames, pendants, bowls and scenic artwork by arranging pieces of glass before fusing them together in the kiln oven.
In March, Paul left Dell Inc. and started working full time at Helios. The Tarlows have made glass for eight years but are making more pieces now that they have their own shop. Karen said opening the shop brought about a new creative energy in her.
“It beats being in a cubicle, and it’s like playing with candy all day,” she said.
Now Paul enjoys making and talking about glass so much that his family jokes they get sick of listening to him. On family vacations, Paul makes sure to find out what glass studios and events are in the area. He also scouts out the plate ware at restaurants, sometimes making bids to purchase the dishes from restaurant owners. He looks for dishes that will make for a unique shape to mold glass upon.
Along with 20 to 25 hours of glass-fusing classes each week, Helios offers supplies and studio time to frequent fusers. They also sell completed glass pieces ranging from $15 jewelry to $1,400 original artwork. Classes, which range from $150 to $250 and include materials, start at the beginner level and are suitable for anyone high-school age and older.
“A lot of folks who don’t consider themselves particularly artistic enjoy the class. If you have a basic color sense and are able to put colors together, it works,” Paul said. “It’s pretty rare that someone makes something ugly.”
Customers range from absolute addicts who need a release each week to those who just come occasionally.
“There’s always one person in each class who says they can’t sleep when they go home because have too many ideas,” Paul said.
Helios classes:
Sign up at Helios or through the Austin Museum of Arts
- Fused Glass for Absolute Beginners
- Slumping, Draping and Shaping
- Surface and Texture: Blast! Carve! More!
- Kiln & Firing Schedule Fundamentals
- Particle Palette: Frits & Powders
- Marlene Koster’s Painting with Glassline Enamels
- Glass Combing: Strokes of Genius
- Perfect Edge: Basic Coldworking
- Jewelry Fusing
- Mica and Enamel: Beauty Is Skin Deep
- Pot Drops & Wire Drops: Ebb and Flow
- Advanced Powder: Wafers & Cold Fusion
Helios Kiln Fused Galss, 10700 Anderson Mill Road, Ste. 120, 996-0960, www.heliosglass.com, Mon. noon-6 p.m., Tue.-Thu. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Fri. Noon-9 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
0 Comments 
