Kiln casting is a glass process in which cold glass is placed into a mold and transformed by heat, melting and solidifying into a new form. I was introduced to this technique during an art course in CEGEP, where I had the opportunity to explore glass as both material and metaphor.
For this project, I created a chess knight. Drawn to the elegance of the game and my long-standing love for horses, the choice felt instinctive. Chess mirrors life in its quiet strategy and possibility, inviting wit, patience, and the courage to create one’s own openings. Cast in topaz—the color of my birthstone—the piece catches direct sunlight, scattering soft, watercolor-like reflections across nearby surfaces.
I adorned the horse with feathers, pearls, and braided details, seeking to balance femininity with strength, and stillness with motion. Though my time working with glass was brief, the process left a lasting impression. Glass casting feels closely related to handbuilding ceramics—another material shaped by patience, intention, and transformation—and I hope to return to it one day.
