Ferenc Kiss glass artisan

I was born in 1957, in Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary.

I got acquainted with glass crafting in the glass technology workshop of József Attila University of Szeged in 1975. I learned the manufacturing of glass laboratory equipment there.

In 1983 I founded my own company. First I was producing laboratory equipment, custom designed ornamental pieces like vases, candlesticks, oil lamps.

As raw material I use glass tube, I heat it by rolling it in flames then I shape it to the planned size and form by blowing, pulling, flatting.

All my pieces of work have been accepted by the Hungarian Institute for Culture and Art since 1989, and can be produced in specified number.

My glass jewelry is made of glass tiles, rods. They are all unique, they are made with the same techinque used by the masters of Murano. As raw material I use dichroic glass, which is made with a special process, so thus combining the traditional method with the most modern invention of our age.

The dichroic glass:
The coats are applied to the base glass in a vacuum chamber, by mixing the different metals and oxides with silica vaporised by an electron beam, which then precipitate on the glass’s surface as a shiny coat. One coat is very thin, 750-900 nanometers, and there is a total of 30-50 layers on the base glass. As coating and at the same time for coloring gold,silver, titanium, chrome, aluminium, zirconia and magnesium oxids are used.

I fuse the glass over gas-jet in four layers, I flat it with a graphite sheet, then I stratch it and bend it to the planned form. Because I don’t use templates in my work, each piece is unique in color and shape.

The finished pieces then are heated in a kiln for relaxation.

On the pendants there is this undermentioned unique thread-mark, which is pressed on the back of the glass while it is molten.

I stitch the completed pendants on cords impregnated with cotton. The metal accessories used for necklaces and earrings are rhodium-plated, so thus metal-sensitive persons can use it too.

The base of rings is made of stainless steel, it’s non-allergenic, non-oxidized, it doesn’t discolor over time.