Sunday, 10 August 2025

The Future for Coral..and the present.

 


What are coral reefs?
Coral can be found in tropical ocean waters around the world. But how much do you know about reefs and the tiny animals—polyps—that build them? As I have been creating Fused Glass Coral pieces, I decided to learn a little about coral and why warming waters threaten the future of the reef ecosystem.  National Geographic gave me this information.

 


Parks under the sea

Scientists often compare coral reefs to underwater rainforests, yet unlike the leafy plant base of a forest, corals are animals.   The soft polyps inside the hard parts of corals are naturally translucent and get their famously vibrant color from algae living inside them.

 When corals experience stress from hot temperatures or pollution, they end their symbiotic relationship with this algae, typically expelling them and turning white, though one recent study indicates some coral turn a bright neon color when stressed.(Interesting indeed, I know how they feel!)   Coral are still alive when they bleach, but they’re at risk—essentially immunocompromised—and many eventually starve and die, turning a dark brown.

People first noticed coral bleaching events in the 1980s. The problem intensified in 2016, when an El NiƱo weather pattern, which causes warmer waters in the Pacific Ocean, mixed with an already unseasonably warm ocean and killed off a third of the corals on the Great Barrier Reef. Since then, roughly half the corals on Australia’s famous reef have died in subsequent bleaching events, jeopardizing an underwater landscape 1,500 miles long.

so sad!

 An estimated 4,000 fish species, and some 25 percent of marine life, depend on coral reefs at some point in their existence. Fish keep the algae that grow on corals in check, allowing corals to breathe and access sunlight.



 The additional stress from warming waters is like “the proverbial nail in the coffin,” says Erinn Muller, the science director at the Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration at the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida.

To keep the wild ecosystem alive, Muller and her team are harvesting samples of the corals that have survived the environmental stresses naturally, breeding them by hand, and reattaching them to the reef. At any given time, the center has 46,000 corals growing on underwater plastic lattices in its nursery. So far, the center has regrown over 70,000 corals from five different species on damaged reefs

Scientists around the world are looking for all kinds of ways to protect and maybe even revive corals. One option is to create more marine protected areas—essentially national parks in the ocean. Scientists say creating marine refuges, where fishing, mining, and recreating are off limits, make the reefs healthier, and so more resilient.

In evolutionary history, corals date back 400 million years, and with each global temperature change Earth has undergone, corals have adapted—but never as quickly as they must today.

Without a mix of long-term cuts in emissions and short-term innovation, there’s a not-so-far-off future where coral reefs as we know them simply cease to exist, says Anne Cohen, a coral expert at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts

“We know that because there have been six major coral reef extinctions in the geologic past where they were basically wiped out. All those have been associated with excessive heat and ocean acidification,” Cohen says. “Coral reefs always come back, but it takes tens of thousands of years.”

Now, with climate change-driven temperatures rising at a rate higher than corals have ever had to naturally adapt to, Cohen says, “we don’t have that kind of time.”

We are living today in a world full of strife.  Hatred is rife;  death and suffering all too common. So,  I was delighted that my research taught me this:

Amongst many initiatives throughout the world, Researchers are actually creating amazing ARTIFICIAL REEFS.   Beginning in the laboratory, researchers evaluate various designs and materials, as well as surface composition, structural integrity, water flow, color and sand movement around coral structures.

Fish exploring the Tamar artificial reef. Photo by Asa Oren

The team who created the artificial reef in the above photo next builds scale models and tests them in a specialized flow tank that mimics currents and sedimentation processes. It then investigates the preferences of fish, crabs, corals and other animals that might inhabit the new reef. Each species has its own desires, and all must be catered to.

Once full-scale corals are deployed, scuba-diving biologists track how the artificial corals are colonized.

They’ve found that fish not only accept the 3D-printed corals; some actually prefer certain designs and colors over natural live corals! This knowledge is then used to design larger scale artificial reefs.

Israel recently joined several neighboring Arab states in a program to protect Red Sea coral reef ecosystems. The Red Sea Transnational Research Center will be located in Bern, Switzerland and will host researchers from Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Eritrea, Sudan, Yemen and Djibouti.

Initiated by Bar-Ilan University professor Maoz Fine, the program will also include the University of Jordan marine science station in Aqaba and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia.

All of this is an exciting and promising venture in human, ecological and international relations.

  I find myself thinking of this whenever I create my coral pieces ...these are created from glass powders, using a kind of pate de verre method, mixing the powder to a paste, packing into a mould, and eventually firing in a kiln for many hours.  Or, I make "glass lace" which represents coral beautifully.    They are all quite small, and are not as precious or important as real, or artificial corals of course, but it pleases me to create something two, or even three-dimensional rather than just rely on photos to see the beautiful corals that still exist on our planet. I sell to customers world-wide, who like to create glass items with them. Here are a few examples: 


... Glass lace in use here
 
ok it's a mermaid.........so sue me............people love them so I make them!

 

My coral pieces, together with all kinds of other undersea creatures, are all available to view, or buy from my Etsy shop:  www.jackiesimmondsstudio.etsy.com 

Jackie Simmonds






 

 

Wednesday, 23 April 2025

A NEBULA IN A GLASS HEART

 




I have recently written a tutorial on how to create the look of a nebula in space, in fused glass hearts.  The tutorial has "taken off" - many people want to try this so I am providing a link below.

A nebula is a cloud of gas and dust in space, created in different ways;  often the most stunning colours appear, and no two seem to be the same.  Here are a few gorgeous photo examples from Google:







and here is my latest, slightly larger heart - many people use a heart-shaped muffin mould, which gives 9 smaller hearts, as in the photo at the top, or a ceramic mould with up to 12 hearts in it.  This was from a mould with two different shapes of heart:


Fun to create, beautiful to capture, experimenting means it's been a wild ride so far! And I am not finished yet, other ideas to try.

If you have a kiln and glass and want to join the fun: nebula hearts tutorial

All you need do is click on the link in blue to send the payment of £15 ($19.50) and paypal will tell me...at which point I send you the tutorial to your email provided by paypal.  You will receive schedules for firing in the tutorial.  You will get a 17 page pdf, which gives you all the instructions you will need, with loads of step by step photos to follow.    (I find videos fascinating to watch, but impossible to remember! )  It is fun and gratifying!

Jackie






Friday, 28 March 2025

BUMBLE BEES - in glass!



Why are bees important?

We simply wouldn't be able to survive without bees. As well as boosting our mood when we see them in our woods and gardens, they're crucial to our physical health and the health of the wider environment.


Bees pollinate food crops

Many of the UK's arable crops benefit from bee pollination. While there are other methods of pollination, including by other animals and the wind, wild bees can pollinate on a much bigger and more efficient scale.

Estimates suggest it would cost UK farmers an incredible £1.8 billion a year to manually pollinate their crops.

Bees feed livestock

Bees pollinate many of the crops used for animal feed. Without them, it would be harder to produce lots of our meat, egg and dairy products.

Bees prop up the ecosystem

Without bees (and thousands of other insect species that call the UK home), it wouldn't be long before our ecosystem collapsed. Bees pollinate our wild trees and wild flowers, which then support other insects, which then support birds, bats, mammals and everything up the food chain with food and shelter.




Bumblebees

Did you know.........there are 24 types of bumblebee in the UK! These clumsy balls of fluff are a social species, nesting in colonies of around 200 bees. If you are curious:  https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2023/07/types-of-bee-in-the-uk/

MY GLASS  BEES:



My little bees are made from glass powder.  I use a method similar to a process called Pate de Verre (paste of glass), which uses water with the powder to form a paste, which is then used to form the bee, which eventually is fired in a kiln.  Lots of time, both in the making, which is fiddly, and in the kiln.  But worth it - I love these cute little bees! They are available from my Etsy shop:  www.jackiesimmondsstudio.etsy.com

They can be fired onto Bullseye glass, or "cold fused" to any other glass - or tile, or ceramic surface.  My customers add them to panels, to vases, to bowls, to tiles, to windchimes, to night lights - all sorts.  I hope you like them as much as I do!





Tuesday, 11 February 2025

 A SEAM-FREE FRAME WITH DECORATIVE FLORAL DETAIL

A picture of a baby and a child

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

(for glass artists with some fusing experience

Important issues to consider before you begin : a) SIZE and B) how will your chosen photo be protected and C) how will the frame stand up?  Some people use glass and create a pocket to go at the back.  I wanted something simpler so I used an inexpensive A4 size L-shaped  CLEAR ACRYLIC SIGN HOLDER from Amazon.   This dictated the size of the strips to be cut.

NB  I learned this the hard way.  I made a number of frames, using measurements I found elsewhere.  BUT then, I could not find acrylic stands the right size!  So now, I make sure I have the stands first!!

A sign holder with a white circle on it

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

 

 

 The alternative is to use a small decorative easel, and to house the photo, you can use a simple acrylic sign holder, secured to the back of the frame, either with glue or double-sided tape:  https://amzn.eu/d/5UezK9p

 

Here are some easel ideas

iGadgitz Home U7007 - Folding Plate Holder Decorative Plate Stand Ornamental Plate Easel Picture Frame Holder - Small/Medi...    Tincogo (2 pack) 4" Iron Display Stand, Sliver Small Iron Easel Plate Display Photo Holder Stand, Displays card,cookie, De...  

ORFOFE 2pcs Photo Frame Stand Picture Easel Stand Display Easel Stand Photo Easel Stand Display Stands Photo Stand Easel P...all from Amazon .

 

Or, make your own cast glass easel using an easel mould from Creative Paradise.  Again, check the size! They offer two sizes of moulds.

    https://www.creativeparadiseglass.com/product-p/lf253.htm

 

The problem with most fused glass photo frames is the CORNER SEAMS, which I  dislike.  The trick to making the seams invisible is using DOUBLE LAYER GLASS STRIPS, laying them out in a very specific way.

Because I wanted to use floral detail, I wanted a fairly wide frame, so I cut my strips to suit my project.  If you want thinner frames, I recommend cutting out a pattern from cardboard or paper, to see how it looks and if it suits your theme.

 

MAKING THE FRAME

 For an A4 L shaped stand, (or any size in fact) you will need 8 strips of glass.

For my A4 stand I used:

4 long:  26cm x 5cm  (10” x 2”)

4 short:  20cm x 5cm (8” x 2” )

You need to lay out the first four, onto your kiln shelf, like this:

A white rectangular object on a wood surface

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

I have deliberately left the joints open so you can see the layout clearly.  However YOU MUST BUTT THEM UP AGAINST EACH OTHER.

Put a dot of glue onto each sheet – Fusers glue is always the safest to use.  I use either the pink or the blue Glas-tac but you could use any glue, even Superglue– as you are using opaque glass.

Then lay up the next four strips on top BUT STAGGER THE PIECES SO THAT THE SEAMS ARE NOT IN THE SAME PLACE AS THIS FIRST LAYER.

 This pic shows the placement of both layers, before putting them together:

A white tape on a wood surface

AI-generated content may be incorrect.the bottom four go on top of the top four - or vice versa!

 

Here they are, two layers together:

A white frame on a wood surface

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Amazingly this fires without visible seams!!!

Now, my choice is to fire this to a full fuse FIRST, (standard full fuse in your kiln for approx. 3-5 mins – do test as all kilns differ) and then add the decoration later.  But it is possible to add certain kinds of decoration at this stage, and fire – this is fine if you want the decoration to melt into the frame, but if you want a dimensional frame like mine, the decoration is best fired afterwards at a lower temperature.

 ADDING DECORATIVE DIMENSIONAL FLOWERS

I created my flowers, leaves, and tendrils separately. As you can tell, this is a labour-intensive project!

 

TENDRILS – if you can find organic ready-fused stringers, you can use these.  The alternative is to shape straight stringers over a candle flame, (they do get sooty, which wipes off) and tend to look deliberately bent rather than gently organic.

OR

You can try pulling your own organic stringers using scrap glass.  It takes practice!  You can use a flame of any kind but MAP gas torches do not cause soot.  Cooking torches will work, the ones used for creating brulee.   HOWEVER they are easy to knock over so try clamping to your tabletop or use something to secure it – Blu-tack might work for example.  They can be purchased for just a few £ or $ from Amazon. 

A blowtorch with a blue flame

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

I used Glasshoppa’s method, using ¼” strips of white glass, spending a fun afternoon practicing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkBpqXWBMRg

Using this method, with scrap glass, you can create inexpensive boxes of organic stringers which have multiple uses.

A close-up of a thin tube

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

You can also buy organic stringers…I sometimes buy from http://www.firedglass.biz/

 

MAKING THE FLOWERS

You have two choices. 

You can create your own flowers, using the freeze and fuse method.  For this, you will need glass powders and silicone moulds.  There are lots of free online tutorials which will show you exactly what to do.  Basically, you fill a mould with wet powder (or dry, making it wet gradually), freeze , demould and fire.  It is very satisfying when you get good results. 

A white plate with flowers and birds

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

 

Here is just one of the many explanatory videos you can find on You Tube: JUST CLICK ON THIS LINK:  VIDEO

 Or, if you prefer not to acquire new sets of materials and spend time practicing (not everyone finds it as straightforward as demonstrated)  you can purchase ready-made beautiful flowers and leaves (and birds, and other things) here:

www.jackiesimmondsstudio.etsy.com (clickable link)

 Once you have your fused frame, and your pieces, position the decorative pieces in a pleasing design, and use a dot of glue to hold them in place.  Ideally, use a Fusers Glue.  

Then, the piece can be tack-fused.  IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO TEST IN YOUR OWN KILN.  I WILL PROVIDE SOME PIECES FOR PRACTICE with every order.  TRY FUSING A COUPLE OF PIECES TO A 2-LAYER COASTER OR SIMILAR, USING THE FIRING INSTRUCTIONS WHICH I WILL SUPPLY WITH THE PIECES.  Then, you can fire your frame with much more confidence and finally assemble with the backing you have chosen.

Please just bear in mind that I am not strong, cannot make too much at any one time, and there may be a waiting list for my pieces!!

I do hope you found this guide helpful.  My thanks go to those I have learned from over the years!

 

Jackie

www.jackiesimmondsstudio.etsy.com

www.jackiesimmonds.com

email:  jackiesdesk@gmail.com

A white ceramic flower with leaves

AI-generated content may be incorrect.  A white rectangular object with flowers and leaves

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

A white picture frame with flowers

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

 

A picture frame on a dresser

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

My daughter’s wedding photo frame, made as a gift for the in-laws!