How do we elevate ourselves above other Glass Countertop makers?

The answer is very simple. It takes hard work and artistic effort to strive to create the most beautiful, creative, hand-made glass countertops in the world. You dont do this by stamping the same texture over and over. Been there done that. We start by visiting the space to “feel” it. We discuss our abstract texturing ideas openly with our clients. Some clients have very clever ideas which we interweave with our own experiences. For large, multi-panel commissions, we need to design a thoughtful continuum tailored across individual pieces that tie multiple panels together in a non-repetitive way. Since we make each piece in a sequence by hand in our sand bed, it is a technical challenge that takes hours of preparation and Teamwork to execute well.

Large Glass Countertops Inspired by Monet.

I take great inspiration and Claude Monet and his “Water Lilies at Musée de L’Orangerie” paintings. They are a huge continuum waterscape of unparalleled magnitude and execution. Monet works with thick oil textures atop canvas. We carve deep textures in very fine sand upon which the flat glass will be placed and fired. I have experimented with different styles and have achieved interesting textures as a result. No two are ever the same.

Large Outdoor Pool Bar Glass Countertop with LEDs

Recently we received a commission to create a large glass countertop bar for an outdoor pool space. This Private Island was in the Exumas in the Bahamas. It was desired by the client to create very natural looking Seascape. Most of our clients are sufficiently passionate to engage directly with us while we are creating their glass countertop and we invite their participation. It is always remarkable to me how everybody’s perspective is just a bit different, and their ideas becomes additive to our technical arsenal. In this case, they travelled all the way (12 hours, 2 planes and a boat ride), to participate in the creation of their outdoor glass countertop. Shipping their was no problem thanks to our excellent crating partner and their most rugged crates.

This bartop would need to be subject to harsh Bahamian elements and be illuminated along its entirety with an LED strip and stainless steel cover.

Natural Sea Creature Impressions in Glass Countertops

The challenge is to incorporate natural sea creature Impressions into our textured glass countertops. By carefully stamping these sea fans, sand dollars, we can capture very fine details. But once the glass is molten and flowing over these impressions, often times it mute the effect. Practice makes perfect and what now results is a realistic portrait of undersea life. We have developed a very clever technique for incorporating real sea life creatures into our castings. Starfish, sand dollars, sea fans set anchored on the sandy bottom of the composition, juxtaposed against the flowing water currents above them with swimming Nautilus. The result is a magnificent artistic glass countertop that incorporates realism with abstract impressionism.

SCUBA Diving into Glass Countertops.

The result is something almost as beautiful as the original, easily identified by the viewer in the context of the glass medium… with a beautiful topography of glass textures much like the oil on a Monet canvas. The asymmetry of the flow creates the impression of more water movement. The ambiguity of the abstract textures heightens the participation by the viewer. ..it makes you look closer and closer to see just how incredibly detailed and perfect these castings can be. The lens like quality of the edge polish on our 1.5” thick glass countertops gives a sense of infinite depth and acts like a magnifier much like when scuba diving everything is enlarged. The abstract and real coming together in a unique style in the same glass canvas works beautifully together.

The Turtles and Sand dollars, and Sea fans are all real sized…you see them…you can touch them. They convey a deep sense of being you underwater with them. The abstract elements focus you on a “feeling”. The realism elements focus you on the incredible details of the objects themselves. It is quite a unique perspective to observe how this plays out in our thick glass countertops. Glass Countertops thinner than 1.5” do not possess this depth.

Our 2nd countertop featured a client that loves turtles and wanted to capture an impression in their raised glass high bar. They had a beautiful metal casting of a baby loggerhead turtle. After many failures, we eventually figured out how to properly cast its impression in our sand bed. The result is beautiful, and befitting their waterfront home style. It is at once abstract, fun, tactile and real…the best of all possibilities.

I hope that the pictures attached will give you inspiration as to our capabilities and bring us your nautical artifacts to cast into your “most beautiful glass countertop”.