Peggy Karr is not exactly a household name. But her glassware can be found in many households around the world.
Peggy Karr started her business in 1987 in her home in Morristown, New Jersey. She had become enamored with the process of enameled glass and set out to master the technique. Peggy Karr Glass, Inc. has grown to be the largest enameled fused glass company in the world - and its all "Made in America."
The glass is cut by hand into over twenty different shapes and sizes to support a wide product line of display pieces, ornaments, dishes and serving trays. The company employs artists to create the designs, then uses a computer to print a line drawing as a basic template for the artisan.
One of the things that makes Peggy Karr Glass, Inc. unique in the industry is that they formulate and produce their own colors using a combination of finely ground glass and ceramic pigments. The artists apply the colors to the glass using tiny, hand-held sifters. It is a delicate and intricate process.
Layers of color are added to each piece using stencils that are computer generated. Although the actual designs are duplicated, each piece is handmade by the artisan with subtle variations of the depth of color and texture. Each piece is unique, but when purchased as a set, will look like matching pieces.
After the artisan has finished adding all the layers of color, a second layer of glass is added on top, ensuring that the design and colors will never fade or be chipped away. The two pieces of glass are then placed in a ceramic mold which will give the piece its final form and adds a distinctive pebble finish to the back of every piece. The molds are placed in a kiln that has been designed by Peggy Karr especially for her glassware. The kiln heats the glass to 1600 degrees, causing the two pieces of glass and to fuse tightly together, forming one solid piece of glass with the design and color sealed within.
The final pieces are highly functional as well as beautiful. The design and colors are protected from washing away or being scraped by knives and forks. Each piece is inspected and only those that are judged as perfect get the marking of 'PKG' for Peggy Karr Glass, followed by the year.
Her designs cover a wide variety, from traditional fruits and flowers to abstract and geometric shapes. They have been featured in leading magazines including Redbook, Mary Engelbreight's Home Companion and Coastal Living. Her products are widely sold at smaller specialty shops as well as major retailers.
Wherever you see Peggy Karr Glass you will see beautiful, bright colors that can bring art into your kitchen and daily life.
0 comments:
Post a Comment