Millefiori is a decorative glass technique which is frequently associated with Venetian glassware. The term millefiori is a combination of the Italian words "mille" (thousand) and "fiori" (flowers).
Example of Millefiori glassware
Ian tried experimenting with this technique, unfortunately the traditional flower ones broke because of colour incompatibility so he tried putting rods together. He tied them up with wire and picked them up out of a kiln.
The canes tied with wire inside the kiln
The finished test pieces show the level of detail and pattern which can be achieved with this technique. I love how the colours pop using the dark background and how the form of the glass helps to magnify certain areas, Ii really reminds me of looking through the microscope and seeing the details close-up.
We are both excited to where this highly decorative work can take us. Having a simple vessel form with a very decorative stopper which attracts attention. Once the cold work is finished we can start to think about how we will go about this.