How was it made? Kiln-casting a glass sculpture | Colin Reid

Artist Colin Reid makes dramatic kiln-cast glass sculptures, incorporating impressions of found objects and forms from nature. Follow Colin as he sails to remote shorelines in the Scottish Highlands, where he uses silicone putty to take a moulded impression of the rocky landscape, capturing the natural fissures and textures of volcanic rock, without leaving a trace. Back in his studio, Colin transforms the impression, building it up and sculpting a model in wax and polystyrene, from which he takes a negative mould made of plaster and silica. In the kiln, the glass is cast into this mould – a process of mould melting which goes back 4000 years. Colin finishes the sculpture using hand-held cutting and carving tools, as well as machinery for milling, grinding and polishing, creating a mirror-like finish which reflects the moulded surfaces.  00:00 Why Colin loves glass casting 01:40 Taking an impression from rock formations in Scotland 03:06 Making a durable mould in Colin’s studio 03:50 Building up the form in wax 05:23 Making the refractory mould from the wax model 06:25 Steaming out the wax from the mould 07:50 Glass casting in the kiln 08:55 Removing the refractory mould 09:40 Milling the flat surfaces 10:09 Carving, cutting & sawing with hand-held tools 10:52 Grinding the surface with a flat-bed grinder and rociprolap 11:38 Refining detail with hand-held grinders, masking & sandblasting 12:32 Signing the finished piece See more from our glass collection: https://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/glass