Ann Cavanaugh's Layers of Light at DragonFire Gallery
By Valerie Ryan
Published: 12/21/2009  Updated: 08/14/2019
Landscapes and natural settings are some of Ann Cavanaugh's favorite fused glass designs.
Landscapes and natural settings are some of Ann Cavanaugh's favorite fused glass designs.  Fused glass by Anne Cavanaugh

Ann Cavanaugh loves to explore the limits of fused glass in wall art and jewelry.

Ann Cavanaugh recreates nature in layers of fused glass portraying her artistic vision in tiles, frameable pieces and unique jewelry. Cavanaugh, whose work is featured at DragonFire Gallery in Cannon Beach, has adapted the ancient art of kiln-firing glass to contemporary scenes of trees, landscapes, beaches and abstract swirls and patterns of color. Her larger pieces are suitable for framing or may be hung without frames. Depth and complexity are the trademarks of fused glass, as layers, objects and color are built into translucent images, abstract or representational. A remarkable thing about these works of art is how they change depending upon the angle and intensity of available light. One of Cavanaugh's recent innovations is to incorporate photographs (taken by her daughter) through a transfer process, giving the piece the look of a collage. She is currently creating eight-inch square tiles that may be used as decorative elements in showers, kitchens and gardens, providing focal points of glowing color. These glass tiles are also set in reclaimed wooden window frames and then hung or set on legs to use as a coffee table. She also collaborates with a friend, Deb Steele, who works in Precious Metal Clay, to create one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces of silver and gold, set with a stunning piece of Cavanaugh's fused glass. She says: "I spend every available hour in my studio exploring the possibilities and testing the limits of this art form." DragonFire Gallery is located at 123 S. Hemlock Street Cannon Beach, (503) 436-1533.
Ann Cavanaugh's Layers of Light at DragonFire Gallery