K. William LeQuier creates stunning, free flowing glass sculptures by using a unique style he's developed over more than a decade and a half. In the mid-70s he learned about glass blowing and for years he created glass vessels. Then, in the early 90s, he began to experiment with sandblasted surface designs, where he found he could carve glass into a myriad of textures using a sandblaster and a diamond saw. Though labor-intensive, this work resulted in unexpected and exciting results that gave him a new direction to explore. While observing stacks of salvaged glass shelving, he realized he could make multi-layered constructions that looked like free flowing strands of carved glass. These pieces would be inspired by momentary events in nature like a wave crashing or a jellyfish swimming through the ocean.
Every sculpture starts with a rough sketch. From that, he produces a template to scale. Then, as the artist explains, “Thin strips of adhesive rubber are arranged one at a time on each plate of glass. When the plate is sandblasted, the rubber acts as a resist. The rest of the plate is cut away leaving only what was protected by the rubber. After each plate is sandblasted the plates are then glued together with a special UV curing epoxy.” Sanding is done with a belt sander and details are carved with a diamond tip. The artist creates the base and armature on which the sculpture rests all by hand.
“My work,” he states, “is inspired by the drama of everyday events in the natural world where weather and time are catalysts for change.”
