Fused Glass Day Of The Dead Wall Art - "Catrina"
Presented here is a fused glass composition celebrating Dia de los Muertas (Day of the Dead)! This original, one-of-a-kind composition is done completely in glass (save for tiny bits of metal accents). Dia de los Muertas is a lively and fun celebration meant to entertain spirits who have passed. Hallmarks of this ancient tradition are bright colors and animated beings. The fashionable gal featured here was created using fused glass elements. Most of the elements were fired together at one time; some of the flowers were glued on after the glass was mounted to the base glass, as I wanted to create dimension in the hat…. a "flower garden" of wearable art! Not easily seen in the photos is the indigo blue "waterglass" background. This piece would be featured best if it were mounted in front of a light source… though it looks great flat on a wall as well (the background simply appears black). I finish all of the frames for my creations myself; once the glass has been fired, I use a number of different finishes, depending on the overall "feel" of the piece. This piece has a textured paint finish, which provides a muted contrast to the bold, slick surface of the glass. This piece has been sold.
Long-time member
A Maker who has been a valued part of this community for several years.
Fast shipper
Customers say that this Maker ships promptly after completing a project.
Great service
This Maker has consistently demonstrated excellence in craftsmanship and customer service.
The mainstay of my shop is fused glass creations…. this can be a stand alone piece of glass, a mixed media composition (sculptural or wall-hung), or a functional piece of work (light fixtures, plates/trays/bowls,inserts for doors or cabinets, etc).
I most enjoy making custom pieces for folks… Because I am intuitive, after a short conversation I am able to "get that person" and design a piece that is "theirs".
While many glass artists began with stained glass and later transitioned to fused work, I have 20 years experience working in fused glass. I prefer fused glass for the following reasons:
- it is STRONGER than stained glass. Art glass is 1/8" thick; a stained glass pieces consists of a lot of 1/8" pieces of glass soldered together… which means that it is thin and with all of those joints, it has the potential to come apart.
Fused glass, on the other hand, is a SINGLE piece of glass; while an individual composition is comprised of as many (or more) pieces than a stained glass piece, everything is assembled in the kiln and fired into a single, final piece. Additionally, fused glass can be made as thick as you want…so, depending on the application, multiple layers of glass can be fused together (think "glass sink"). Really thick pieces are more expensive to produce because the firing process (bringing the heat up, ramping it down, and annealing) takes far longer - it is not uncommon for a firing process to take 20+ hours with a thick/large piece of glass.
Stained glass pieces have distracting solder lines which can detract from the overall design composition - fused glass has none of these distractions!
With fused glass, you have a larger "palette" to work from. You can "make your own glass" by pre-firing different glass together (to make polka dot glass, for example) and then cut it up for your design.. glass can be fired over and over in most instances.
All of my designs are from my own original drawings; if you have something specific in mind, I would be happy to work with you to create a working drawing for a project.
Technical excellence is evident throughout my pieces; I am a perfectionist when it comes to my work, and am willing to do "whatever it takes" to have a design materialize into the physical.
JMJanice McKee
For Janice's lawn ornament5.0This is my first time on Custom Made. I reached out blindly in search of how to best help a friend who had recently lost his sister. I had no idea what to expect and giving only a vague idea of what i hoped to achieve. Karla contacted me almost immediately with an in-depth reply asking pointed questions, trying to narrow down my request. From that moment on, despite my cloudiness and confusion, Karla's ability, artistic vision, and supreme kindness led the way. She devised the absolute perfect plan and carried it out with a speed and professionalism that astounded me. I am overwhelmed at what she created, and the entire process since first finding your website. I feel a bit of divine intervention in how it all happened. I am so grateful to Karla, and to Custom Made, for creating this opportunity to honor his sister, also an artist. The finished project is one my friend will cherish, and this experience i would cherish as well. Karla, you are an amazing person and artist.
- BA
Barbara Austin
For Snake pit logo Project5.0Karla is a gifted artist- she was able to take an idea and create a stunning piece of art. Karla dedication and focus to detail ensured this piece was done perfect! Highly recommend Karla's beautiful work!
- DD
Dennis DuBreuil
For Fused Glass Bolo Tie & Cuff Links - Blue & Black Available5.0Karla, was friendly, professional and very commutative. She is a very good artist that I would use again and highly recommend her.
- PB
Pamela Buckhave
For Custom Fused Glass Pet Portrait Nightlight -5.0Karla was so personable and caring. We had lost our dog after 15 wonderful years, to have this beautiful piece of art of him is beyond meaningful. Karla even used some fur of our beloved baby making this art piece so meaningful to us. I can’t thank Karla enough??
- BB
Bradley Barrios
For Bradley's Outdoor Installation5.0I enjoyed the whole process of working with Karla Ely. She kept me up to date on progress and consulted with me on decisions. I am thrilled with
the final outcome and look forward to working with Karla again.
Maker Policies
Discover true craftsmanship each week
A guide to the best items from the best makers and the stories behind them.
