Red Cylinder

In sand casting, molten glass is blown or ladled into a compacted sand mold. Once the material cools, the sand is broken away from the glass, leaving behind an encrusted surface. To create her vessels, Paula Bartron blows glass into sand molds and sifts glass powders onto the outside while the pieces are still hot. She then polishes the interiors by hand to create a glossy surface, which contrasts with the rough exterior formed by the sand. Bartron's technique ultimately limits the amount of light that filters through her pieces, and in Red Cylinder the resulting soft glow is reminiscent of molten lava.