About Me and the Artwork

My name is Liz Sheridan Martinez, and I am a married mother of three who lives by the Chesapeake Bay in beautiful Annapolis, Maryland, a.k.a. "Crabtown". The source of inspiration for my fused glass comes from the Caribbean Sea. Having spent time in several locations from the Florida Keys south through several islands, I was dazzled by the tropical colors. Everything from the paint colors used for the local homes, the exotic vegetation, and the color of the water, transformed my attitude towards color. It is a great joy to be able to combine this love of vibrant colors with fused glass in order to create functional art. It is an even greater joy to be able to do this in my home studio where I can create and teach class close to my family.

The glass fusing process involves several steps. The first step is creating the colored enamels which are initially fired for 15 hours at approximately 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. The enamels are then cut into shapes and placed on additional sheets of glass that have been cut to the size of a specific mold. The multi-layered piece is then fired again for another 15 hours after which the layers of glass and enamels have fused together and slumped into the mold. All enamels used are lead-free and not exposed to the surface; meaning that the colored glass cannot be scratched with utensils. I hope you enjoy using or displaying your fused glass as much as I enjoy creating it for you.

Please come see my glass in person at the Art Gallery of Fells Point located at 1716 Thames Street in Baltimore, Maryland, (410) 327-1272.