Blog - Lisa J Vogt

Posted on August 18, 2026August 18, 2026 by Lisa Vogt — Leave a comment

Relax! It’s Five O’clock Somewhere!

Raise a glass! Let’s celebrate all that we have to be thankful for. I enjoy drinking wine and the warm, relaxed atmosphere it creates. Therefore, it was natural to include a wine glass in my collection of designs in my video, Simple Pleasures.

My design process.

Once I decide on the subject matter for a specific project, in this case a simple wine glass, I then consider the background space. I say to myself, “What can I do in the background to enhance my focal point?” Then I take it step farther and ask. “How can I create a setting that reflects the mood I want to portray?” Wine makes me think of rolling green hills and booming vineyards. I’ve only been to a vineyard once. So, I researched winery images online where I found a lot of inspiration. I wanted the background to add to, but not overpower the wine glass. I decided to create a sense of place with a rural landscape complete with distant hills and the illusion of rows of grape vines.

I then decided that frit would give me the stylized feel I wanted for the background. With frit I had control and the flexibility to create a setting that’s both easily recognizable and impressionistic at the same time. I selected high contrast frit colors. I used fine size frit to give me soft lines that would be consistent with a distant view.

As you can see, a lot of planning and forethought goes into my designs. All of my decisions are intentional. Working this way takes time, but the increase in visual potency is always worth the effort. When you start a project, give it your full attention. Think beyond cutting the glass and stacking it in the kiln. Consider ways you can create a greater visual impact by adding detail.

How to make the Wine Glass.

This 8 inch x 8 inch project is made with 2 layers of glass. The base layer is white glass. The design layer is made up of cut glass and frit.

Cut a ½ inch wide border out of purple glass. Cut the wine glass out of dichroic or iridized glass. Glue the border and wine glass pieces to the base layer. Let the glue dry so the pieces don’t move when you apply the frit.

Apply a thick layer of medium green, fine size frit to the bottom of the space. Use a small paint brush to shape the green into a nice, graceful curve. Use a spoon to apply dark green, fine size frit on top of the medium frit to represent the grape vine rows.

Tip: Pile the frit up to the thickness of the cut glass around it for strong color saturation and even coverage.

Moving up apply light green, fine size frit to create a distant hill. Detail the hill with medium green, fine size frit for the distant grape vine rows. Continue building the landscape with a brown hill followed by a tan hill.

I used fine size, sky blue frit for the upper portion of the background. I then blended fine size, medium blue into the sky blue to create movement in the sky.

Tip: Be meticulous about your clean up. Carefully brush any excess frit off the wine glass and border. The more time and effort you put into every step, the higher the quality of your finished artwork. Always do your best work.

Fire the assembled project to a full fuse temperature using the firing guide below.

My wine glass panel measures 8 inch x 8 inch. You can make it in a different size and get the same beautiful results.

Wine Glass as seen in my Simple Pleasures video. This is only one of 12 fun projects in my full length video. Download it now at www.LisaJVogt.com

Watch the, Wine Glass, YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/VqOUndwKGm8

Fusing Guide
Segment 1: Ramp 300 F/hr to 1300 and hold 30 min.
Segment 2: Ramp 500 F/hr to 1465 and hold 10 min.
Segment 3: Ramp 9999(AFAP*) to 960 and hold 40 min.
Segment 4: Cool to room temperature.
*As fast as possible

NOTE: Kilns fire differently. Test fire these guides in your kiln and then make adjustments as needed.
Raise a glass. Let’s celebrate!

Cheers!
Lisa

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Posted on August 11, 2026August 11, 2026 by Lisa Vogt — Leave a comment

Show A Little Personality

Your artistic vision, your creative drive and your advancing skill level make you the wonderfully unique artist you are. When I recall other artist’s work, the memorable pieces are those that truly show the artist’s personality. Being original and true to yourself makes your artwork stand out from the crowd. So, how do you free your spirit and find inspiration? Here are some techniques I use to unleash my inner designer.

Harness the Power of Design

You don’t need a fine art degree to draw your own original designs. Clean lines and crisp colors are powerful tools you can use to increase the dramatic impact of your work.

Glass is a versatile medium. It’s well suited for different design styles like geometric patterns as well as abstract compositions. It’s this flexibility, combined with its magical luminous quality that inspires so many artists to create their art in glass.

A lot of my artwork is pictorial with images of landscapes or animals. I love bringing recognizable subjects to life in unique ways that reflect my sense of whimsy. On other occasions, it’s fun to design a pattern that changes our view of a familiar geometric shape and transforms something old into something new.

In my experience, the best way to shift expectation of a basic shape is to draw an original design. I start with a blank piece of paper. I leave preconceived ideas at the door and approach this new pattern design with fresh eyes.

I begin with the basics, a blank page, a pencil, an eraser, and a ruler. I draw the perimeter shape. Then I consider how to divide the space in a way that is unique and engaging. As the drawing develops, I allow myself the flexibility to add or erase lines as I go along. The best results are achieved when I let this exercise progress organically. In other words, just play. Add random lines, make fun shapes. Don’t over think the outcome. Have fun. You’ll be surprised how creative your subconscious mind is when you give it free rein. Go for it!

Over the years I’ve learned not to over-plan the design at the pattern stage. Instead, I leave room for the glass to influence the design style with added visual interest and vivid color.

I’m a visual learner. Therefore, I thought it would be helpful if I demonstrated the design process with this Geometric bowl from my, Fused Art Design video.

Begin by drawing the perimeter shape with a pencil and ruler. In this case our project is a 10 inch by 10 inch square. I drew notches, one on each side, to spice up the plain square shape. Then I try a variety of layouts by adding lines and shapes to the pattern. I work with pencil so I can make changes easily, like removing lines.

I often draw borders into my geometric designs. They visually contain the art like a frame. And it’s a great place to punch up the color with bright strips of glass.

Here I’m also introducing a partial square drawn on edge. The unexpected position of the shape adds tension to the simple square profile, which in turn makes the finished piece more interesting.

Now it’s time to cut glass.

I’m working with high contrast colors to create a bold composition. I also purposely selected both opal and transparent glass colors. It’s a winning combination that increases the dramatic impact of my pieces. I’ve also included dichroic glass because the sultry color shifts breathe life into the art.

I cut strips of glass out of the materials I’ve pulled, and then arrange the cut class on the pattern. I reposition the glass until something strikes me. Then I build from there. In essence, the glass is contributing to the development of the design. Working this way releases your creative mood and generates fresh new design ideas that would have otherwise gone undiscovered.

Once I’m satisfied with the glass layout, I move the cut glass from the pattern and arrange in on a clear glass base. I build most of my projects with two layers of glass. Design details and accents are stacked on top of the second layer. This type of assembly produces durable projects with uniform thickness and visually pleasing edges.

The assembled glass is then fired in a kiln to a full fuse temperature. The fused glass is then fired in a kiln in a square mold to a slumping temperature.

Creating exceptional art is my passion. My process is never rushed. Shortcuts are unacceptable. I always do my best work to create the highest quality artwork I can. Sure, I make mistakes. Some pieces are disappointing disasters. I don’t let failure slow me down. I learn from the experience and I start over. I work on my idea until I achieve the desired result.

Next time you need a creative lift, consider starting from scratch and drawing your own fused glass pattern. It doesn’t have to be complex to be great. Simple designs that reflect your personal style and artistic flare are destined to be beautiful and memorable works of art.

Wherever you are in your artistic journey, you’re doing terrific! Keep up the great work.

Happy Fusing!

Lisa & Niki

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Geometric, as seen in my video Fused Art Design available on my website at

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Posted on August 4, 2026August 4, 2026 by Lisa Vogt — Leave a comment

12 Tips to Improve the Quality of Fused Glass Art

1. Clean your glass before cutting it.

It’s much easier to clean a single square piece of glass than it is to clean a bunch of small pieces. You’ll also do a better job because you can see any dust or hint of glue from the manufacturer’s stickers more easily on the larger surface area. I avoid using chemicals or cleaners that might introduce potential contaminants to my fused glass. I use plain water and clean cotton towels to clean and dry my glass.

2. Improve your accuracy by using the right tool for the job.

When cutting glass strips or circles for my projects I use certain tools to help improve the fit of my pieces. The benefits of using strip cutters and circle cutters are they reduce waste and scrap glass. Plus, their ease of use makes the project assembly faster, easier and more precise.

Wet saws are great for cutting intricate shapes that otherwise would have to be done in multiple pieces. This time and material saving approach also enables you to make more elaborate designs.

Mosaic nippers are handy to quickly and efficiently produce irregular pieces for playful patterns and whimsical designs.

3. Pick a color pallet and stick with it.

Being selective about the colors you use increases the strength of your artwork. It shows the purposeful design direction of the artist and at the same time establishes the mood of the piece. Use multiple shades of the same colors to create depth and greater visual interest. Select both transparent and opal glass in your color pallet to increase design depth.

4. Use high contrast colors.

Be bold! Combine striking colors to bring your design to life. Using high contrast colors enhances the linear details of your design. It’s an easy way to increase the impact and overall attractiveness of your glass art.

5. Include a focal point.

A focal point gets the viewer’s attention, engages them and makes your art memorable. Focal points can be literal like a leaf, a bird or a wave. Easily recognizable images are relatable and endearing. While abstract designs also benefit from having a focal point too. You can include an unexpected shape or pop of color to make your art more engaging.

6. Do your best work.

Be meticulous with every step. The time and effort you put into each step makes the next step faster, easier and more professional looking. Make sure your glass pieces fit well. If you ask yourself, is this good enough? It likely isn’t your best work. Redo that piece, re-cut the glass, do whatever it takes to make sure you’ll be proud of your finished work.

7. Build your projects with two full layers of glass to make them visually attractive and structurally durable.

This method of assembly produces beautiful smooth edge quality and a uniform thickness throughout your finished piece of art. These characteristics elevate your work to a professional quality that’s consistent with high end, gallery worthy artwork.

8. Make your pieces a little smaller than your slumping molds to ensure they slump evenly.

If you intend to slump your fused glass project measure the slumping mold you plan to use in advance of laying out your design. Make your project ½-inch smaller than the mold to accommodate any potential growth and to ensure the glass slumps evenly. When the glass is larger than the mold, or if it sits on the top edge of the mold, the glass may slip to one side and slump unevenly.

9. Fire projects with other pieces with similar construction style.

It’s good practice to fire projects built with two layers together and fire projects made with one layer separately to ensure you have the best results possible for each type of construction. Large projects can be fired alongside small projects. Fire the kiln at a rate that’s appropriate for the largest project in the kiln.

10. If in doubt fire slower.

If you’re concerned about your firing rate it’s okay to fire your kiln more slowly and add more time to the annealing segment hold. This small change often improves your consistency and results in greater success.

11. Re-prime your kiln shelf and slumping molds before use if they show signs of wear.

I clean and prime my kilns shelves every time in use them. Then I’m sure my glass won’t stick to the shelf. I prime my slumping molds when they show signs of wear. Wear includes: the primer looks thin or it’s pealing. This routine maintenance enables me to fuse and slump with confidence.

12. Allow your kiln and the glass inside to cool to room temperature before opening the kiln.

Be patient! I know it’s hard to resist opening the kiln. If I’m tempted to open my kiln, I ask myself what’s more important to me in six weeks from now? Is it that I get to see the project a few hours early OR that the project is cooled properly and stable? This idea gives me strength to be patient.

Bonus 13. Take before and after pictures and take notes.

Pictures and notes help you gain confidence in your kiln work. They document your progress and are glowing examples of your artistic growth. They’re also useful for trouble shooting unexpected results. Pictures and notes help you reproduce your successes and learn from your failures.

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Happy Fusing!

Lisa & Niki

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Posted on July 28, 2026July 28, 2026 by Lisa Vogt — Leave a comment

5 Pro Tips for Making Fused Glass Sinks and Large Bowls

Artists are the most generous people I know. We love to share our passion. We all want to make a more dramatic and memorable impression with our art. One of the bests ways to accomplish this is to go bigger and make large scale pieces that stand out from the crowd.

But going bigger can be scary. You have to invest more time and material. And there are more design decisions to make. It’s a huge commitment and you want guarantees that the finished piece will exceed your expectations. Following are some fundamental tips that’ll greatly increase your success with all your fused glass artwork.

1 Measuring the Slumping Mold

It seems trivial, but this is where most craftsman go wrong. Everyone wants to make the largest fused glass disc possible. They then measure the mold from the outer rim to the outer rim and cut their glass circles accordingly. They wrongly assume the glass that rests on the top rim of the mold will follow the center of the fused glass disc as it slumps into the mold. The problem is the glass on the flat rim drags.

Therefore, it does not fall into the mold evenly. The result is a bowl with uneven height in the side walls. A lopsided bowl can be avoided simply by measuring across the inside of the mold and then cutting the glass ¼ to ½ inch smaller than that measurement. Yes, the bowl is slightly smaller. No one will notice. They’ll be too busy admiring your beautifully crafted, uniform bowl with even side walls all the way around.

2 Durability is in the Design

When going larger it’s important to design your art in such a way that the glass thickness is uniform throughout the entire piece of art. If you design the round disc with two glass layers on one side and four glass layers on the opposite side, you’ll have unbalanced mass. This can cause the finished piece of art to break due to the stress of supporting its own weight. Instead, plan your design execution in advance to ensure you have the same number of glass layers across the entire disc. Small accents pieces decorating the top aren’t a concern, provided they’re added in moderation.

3 Let it Shine

The beauty of glass is its transparency, and the attraction of glass fusing is our ability to mix transparent and opal materials, to create various color combinations and an infinite number of intricate patterns. The wonderful thing about going large is the extended size of the creative canvas. With more room, you have more opportunity to expand your design ideas and make a dynamic statement. So rather than fumble through, take time to plan a well thought out design. Consider including pre-tacked or fused glass components for added interest. Mix both transparent and opal glass to increase visible depth. The possibilities are endless.

4 Do Your Best Work

Don’t cut corners. No excuses. If you think to ask, “Should I recut or redo this?” My answer is, “Yes.” The more time and effort you put into each step will greatly improve the overall quality of your finished pieces. Fabrication and execution are equally as important as design esthetics. If you implement this approach, every piece you produce will be a masterpiece.

5 Fusing and Slumping

Slow it down. Larger usually also means thicker. You’ll dramatically increase your firing success rate by slowing down both the fusing schedule and the slumping schedule. I fire my large pieces at 300 degrees per hour and hold several times on the way up to 1465 degrees to fuse, and 1220 degrees to slump. I anneal the glass at 960 degrees for 180 minutes, for both fusing and slumping, and then slowly drop the temperature down to room temperature. By being conservative with the firing schedules, I achieve consistently beautiful results every time. You can too!

Happy Fusing!

Lisa & Niki

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Posted on July 13, 2026July 13, 2026 by Lisa Vogt — Leave a comment

Welcome Summer! Bring the Beach Home

Sunny, relaxing summer days are here! It’s time for delicious family picnics, breezy boat rides and warm sand between your toes. This series of bowls combines simple lines, a pleasing color palate and a whimsical touch of nature with classic seaside style. Beach Day Bowls are perfect accents for creating beach style comfort in your home all summer long.

When I come across a pattern that really brings me joy, I like to recreate that design in different sizes. Then I display the companion pieces around my kitchen and family room to set a seasonal mood throughout our living space. If you’re attracted to this pattern, consider making it in a few different sizes to get the most out of the simple, yet stylized ocean theme.

Beach Day Bowls as seen in Artful Home Video

How-to make the bowls.

These bowls are made with two layers of glass. The base layer is clear glass. The second, design layer is made up of cut glass pieces. Start by cutting the clear base.

Enlarge the pattern to your desired dimension. Use the pattern as a guide to cut the design layer. Cut the paper up. Glue it to the glass with a glue stick. Cut the glass as close to the paper pattern as possible to minimize the amount of grinding needed.

There are some deep, inside cuts in my pattern. Cut the glass as accurately as you can. Grind the pieces to improve the edge quality and overall fit of the design. Assemble the cut glass pieces on top of the clear base. Use fuser’s glue to affix the design layer to the base layer. It’s okay if your pieces don’t fit perfectly. Let the glue dry. This will prevent the glass from moving when you apply the frit.

Use a spoon and pour fine blue frit on top of the glass. Use a paint brush to move the frit into the gaps between the pieces to fill in the space and add a linear detail. Remove any excess frit by sweeping it off the glass. Be meticulous about your cleanup. Attention to detail make a difference. Doing your best work on every step will dramatically improve the quality of your finished artwork.

Use a razor knife and cut a bird footprint stencil out of stiff paper. I use file folders or poster board. You can also use plastic stencils available at your local craft store in the scrap booking department. Place the stencil on the area of the design that represents the sand. Sift powder brown frit over the stencil. Carefully lift the stencil off the glass.

Fire the assembled project to a full fuse temperature using the firing guide below.

Place the fused glass on a slumping mold and fire it to a slumping temperature using the guide below.

My bowls measure 10 inch x 10 inch, 6 inch x 6 inch and 4 inch by 4 inch. You can make these bowls in different sizes and get the same beautiful results.