Art Glass by Peter Ridabock

Ridabock glass takes a painterly approach to surface design. Large fields of solid colors are balanced by more intricate and defined design elements. Layers of contrasting colors and patterns merge and then separate, creating windows in which to view the mysteries below. The imagery, although intentionally abstract, recalls life in the ocean. Forever moving and sustaining life, the ocean is a constant source of inspiration.

Each Ridabock piece is original and the only one of its kind. They are made entirely of glass, starting with a gather of molten glass at the end of a blow pipe. The glass is continually blown and shaped with water-soaked newspaper and hand tools. The surface design is a collage of glass dots, cane and shards. All of these design elements are individually handmade by Peter over the previous days. These elements are then laid out into a composition and fused into the surface of the hot glass. The fusion procedure is done piece by piece using tweezers and a torch. After encasing the finished piece with a layer of transparent glass, it is then placed in an annealing oven and cooled slowly over a 15 hour period.

At left... Peter Ridabock with his daughters on a recent visit to NJM Gallery.