Hegland Glass: The Perfect Fusion of Art and Glass

If Frank Lloyd Wright made ribbon candy it might have looked something like the art glass displayed on the shelves at Hegland Glass on High Street.

OK, that’s a far reach, but there is something compelling about David and Patti Hegland’s art glass that begs for unusual comparisons. Collectors and galleries feel the same way.

From a pencil sketch to a 1,500 degree kiln, an artistic vision takes shape and emerges as fused strips of colored glass contoured into various deep and shallow bowl shapes. Their color palette is a striking range of citrus tones—from pale greens to deep oranges—offset by creamy, translucent whites and geometric bands of black. The glass strips have been cut so thinly that when fused they have a narrow banding effect and are often designed to merge with sections that look like tubular brocade. It’s a winning combination of design elements and while there might be a touch of Deco or Prairie symmetry coming out of the Hegland kilns, the rest is purely their own signature look.

The Heglands were collectors before they set off on their own adventure. They appreciated innovative design and had a good eye for the true artists. Both of them had been in jobs requiring attention to detail—David, an engineer and Patti, an accountant—so they were both drawn to a craft that offered a challenge for its technical complexity. Although they have owned a house in Chestertown it wasn’t until seven years ago that the couple decided to take the leap of faith, retire from their jobs and enter the world of art glass making.

They decided that kiln glass, as opposed to blown glass making, offered an easier entrance into a craft that fascinated them. It also opened the door to levels of endless complexity and creative possibilities.

“Along with the rest of our constant studies and experiments, we managed to take a course from Alex Castro who was offering a class about the “creative process” at Washington College. That was an important turning point for us. Alex was also instrumental in encouraging us to move our studio from Millington to Chestertown,” David says.

When David and Patti Hegland opened their studio in Chestertown, they weren’t counting on foot traffic sales to carry the day. They just wanted a custom designed studio and a good work space to experiment and refine their craft. They figured a few people might stop  in to watch the process and possibly buy one of their plates or bowls but most of their work was being created for art shows, craft festivals, collectors and upscale stores like Barneys of New York.

But visitors to the studio now account for about 30% of their sales.

“We’re very surprised at the interest people have in our glassmaking process,” David Hegland says. “Some even call ahead to find out if they can come by and watch the process and they often leave with one of the pieces.”

And it is a fascinating process. Patti works primarily on the design, cuts all the glass meticulously and lays out on her penciled schematic. It’s then banded to hold it together and put in the kiln to fuse together into a flat plate.

Depending on the piece, there may be more steps before the “slumping” process where the glass is heated enough to let it ‘slump’ into its mold shape. Dave might smooth the rough edges or sandblast polish it, then place it back in the high heat kiln to treat the other side.

Then from the “slumping’ process Dave runs each piece through a finishing process that may require further sandblasting or cutting and polishing the rims. He has a whole back room of equipment—soundproofed from the rest of the building—dedicated to the finishing process.

“Each piece requires a different process depending on the effect we’re looking for,” David says. “One bowl may require two trips to the kiln—one to fuse, one to shape—while another may need a third trip to treat the other side.”

These days the Heglands are getting ready for one of their many sojourns into the world of fine craft fairs, with an important one coming up on July 26 at the Pennsylvania Guild Fine Craft Fair being held at Chase Center on the Riverfront, in Wilmington, Delaware. Two months ago they were in Florida.

Even having to close the studio for their sales trips, the Heglands are noticing a uptick in interest, not just just in their glass but in all Chestertown arts.

Just recently Hegland Glass was part of an arts tour by supporters of the illustrious Renwick Gallery at the Smithsonian. From there, the group headed to the Massoni Gallery with the Vico Von Voss exhibit at the Academy Art Museum in Easton their final destination. To the Heglands, an “arts day” tour of that type—along with increased foot traffic—is indicative of a palpable change in Chestertown’s identity as a blue-chip destination for contemporary art.

Bowl photos by Dave Hegland