This commission is starting out as a science experiment

A client asked me to create a stained glass window incorporating etched fern and gingko leaves. The only problem—I don’t have the equipment for etching. So, I came up with another approach.

I decided to use a technique called fossil vitra. It involves coating leaves or other botanicals in glass frit (ground-up glass) and firing them in a kiln. The heat burns the leaf away, leaving behind a delicate, ghost-like impression on the glass. Frit comes in sizes ranging from fine powder to chunky bits, which creates a variety of textures. It’s also available in different colors, each with its own chemical composition—sometimes causing surprising reactions with the glass!

The frit-coated leaf itself can be placed beneath the glass or sandwiched between layers, and the placement changes the way bubbles form during firing. For the past few weeks, my studio has felt like a chemistry lab as I experiment with these variables, waiting to see what emerges.

Some results have been… unexpected. The gingko leaf in the top row of the photo above, for example, was coated in red and gold mica powder, which reacted with the white base glass. Instead of shimmering, it turned black and produced a dramatic bubble. Others have been simply beautiful—like the fern in the bottom row, coated in clear frit, which now looks as though it’s resting beneath a layer of frost.

The design of the window itself is simple, but creating the glass for it is an adventure. As children return to school here in Morganton, I find myself in my own classroom of sorts—learning, experimenting, and exploring new ways to combine glass frit, leaves, and lots of heat.

And the discoveries don’t end with this window. I recently came across some gingko trees a few blocks from my studio. They have the tiniest leaves which are perfect for jewelry. I might slip a few into the kiln with my next round of samples, just to see what happens.