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Lauren Mentzel Art Glass

Lauren Mentzel Art Glass

LAUREN’S STAINED GLASS COLLECTION

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Dichroic Glass Objet d'Art "Spirit Stone" Mosaics

Frequently Asked Questions

Dichroic Glass is a multi layer coating placed on glass by using a highly technical vacuum deposition process.

Note: Answer is direct from the industry standard dichroic glass company, Coatings by Sandberg (CBS)
My all-time favorite, dichroic glass studio! https://cbs-dichroic.com/
Quartz Crystal and Metal Oxides are Vaporized with an electron beam gun in an airless vacuum chamber and the vapor then floats upward and attaches then condenses on the surface of the glass in the form of a crystal structure. The colors have as many as 30 layers of these materials yet the thickness of the total coating is approximately 35 millionths of an inch. The coating that is created is very similar to a gemstone and by careful control in thickness, different colors are obtained. Thus, all the coatings are created using the same exact materials.

Originally created for the Aerospace industry, Dichroic Glass is now made available to the artist community through Coatings By Sandberg, Inc. CBS Dichroic Glass is specifically designed to be hotworked in any way but can also be used in its raw form. The main characteristic of Dichroic Glass is that it has a transmitted color and a completely different reflective color. Additionally, these two colors shift depending on angle of view. With the play of light together with its vibrant color, Dichroic Glass is a prime tool used to add interest to any piece of work or project. With over 45 Colors of Dichroic Coatings available to be placed on “any” substrate (i.e. glass), artists have unlimited freedom of expression

Note: Answer is direct from the industry standard dichroic glass company, Coatings by Sandberg (CBS)
My all-time favorite, dichroic glass studio! https://cbs-dichroic.com/
When you look at the history of an artist using Dichroic coated glass, it appears that the artist has been under the major handicap of not having any information on what he or she was working with. These artists were exposed to a piece of glass that had interesting color effects, but came from a very complex and scientific industry not easily understood.

These “high-tech” coatings were capable of reflecting a narrow band of light (or one color) and at the same time, transmitting the remaining part of light. The coating process is completed in a vacuum deposition chamber by vaporizing quartz and metal oxides with an electron beam gun and condensing micro thin layers on the surface of the glass in the form of a crystal structure. This coating that we commonly call Dichroic glass today, is actually an “interference filter” permanently adhered to the surface of a piece of glass. The technology used to manufacture the optical interference filter has been in existence for many years. It is known as “vacuum thin film deposition.”

Note: Answer is direct from the industry standard dichroic glass company, Coatings by Sandberg (CBS)
My all-time favorite, dichroic glass studio! https://cbs-dichroic.com/
Dichroic glass is often called the “gold” of glass because of both what it takes to make it and what it gives back visually. To create it, they melt quartz crystal and carefully selected metal oxides—only the highest-purity materials will do. These are vaporized with an electron beam gun and then allowed to condense onto glass in an ultra-controlled environment, forming a crystal structure made up of as many as 30 microscopic layers. That process is closer to aerospace or optics manufacturing than traditional glassmaking.
Those layers are what give dichroic glass its signature magic—shifting colors, depth, and a metallic glow that changes with light and angle, much like gold does. Because the materials are pure, the equipment is specialized, and the process is slow and precise, dichroic glass is expensive. But like gold, its value isn’t just in the cost—it’s in the rarity, the craftsmanship, and the way it transforms a piece into something luminous and alive.
My process for creating art with dichroic glass always begins with intention—what I am going to create that day. Whether it’s a Buddha, a gallery-edition heart, a spirit-stone mosaic, a spirit-stone pendant, a bolo, or another objet d’art, I begin by working through color theory using glass from my sacred collection.
I develop the relationship between space—positive and negative—and decide how I want the energy and movement of the piece to flow. As my favorite artist, Erté, once wrote to me from Paris when I was twelve years old: “Do your designs as you feel them and don’t make effort to make them real.” That philosophy continues to guide my work.
Glass comes in many forms: sheets, shards, shapes, and frit—a sand-like glass texture. Surfaces can range from smooth, buttery, and seamless to brilliantly patterned with grooves that create depth and rich tactile sensation. These qualities all inform my designs.
A major decision in each piece is whether to use opaque or transparent glass—whether the light passes through or is held within. I then cut the dichroic glass into tiny pieces and patterns, carefully “Tetrising” them together, stacking and layering them with precision. I work with anywhere from one to six layers of premium dichroic glass, depending on the piece, to create depth, movement, and cosmic energy.
My background is a BFA in Fine Art, with a focus on painting. Today, I paint with dichroic glass much the same way I once painted with Golden© paints—building layers, using different materials, and creating depth and atmosphere reminiscent of the cosmos.
Each piece is fired in my glass kiln for approximately 20 hours, following a meticulous cycle of heating, holding, and cooling at precise temperatures specific to glass (see question How Does a Glass Kiln Work?). Every work is signed, created with intention, and infused with love—spreading the message that: You are loved.

"Your path is illuminated by the light, yet darkness lets the stars shine bright.” ~ J.L.W. Brooks
The Art of the Kiln
Glass is shaped by time as much as by heat.
Inside the kiln, glass is warmed slowly and deliberately, allowing it to soften without shock or fracture. As temperatures rise, the glass begins to relax—edges round, layers fuse, and forms gently emerge. Nothing is rushed. Every change happens on purpose.
Once the shaping is complete, the glass is held in a state of rest called annealing. This quiet pause allows internal tension to release, strengthening the piece from the inside out. The kiln then cools at an unhurried pace, sometimes over twenty hours or more, so the glass can settle evenly and remain stable for years to come.
This slow process is essential. Glass remembers stress. By giving it time, each piece gains clarity, strength, and balance—qualities that can’t be hurried and can’t be forced.
What emerges from the kiln is not just formed by heat, but by patience and love.
Dichroic Glass Spirit Stones
So you would rather wear my art, than carry it in your pocket or put it on your desk! This is where my Spirit-Stones concept, came from. Still reflecting the depth of the cosmos, these Spirit-Stones are formed from one to six carefully stacked layers of premium dichroic glass, fused in a kiln through a slow, controlled firing process. As the glass softens, the layers bond into a single, smooth form with a gently domed surface and a flat back.
Dichroic glass is prized for its shifting color and light-reactive surface. When layered, these effects gain depth and complexity, revealing subtle changes in hue, luminosity, and pattern as the piece is viewed from different angles.
The Spirit-Stones polished dome highlights the richness of the glass rather than faceted sparkle, allowing color, depth, and reflection to take center stage. Each piece is one of a kind, shaped by heat, time, and the interaction of its layered materials.
Prices vary : pieces with fewer layers highlight simplicity and surface clarity, while those with multiple layers require significantly more material, longer kiln firing times, and increased precision during stacking and fusing. As layers are added, both the material cost and the time involved in creating the piece increase.
Because of this, pricing reflects not only the size of the Spirit-Stone, but the number of dichroic glass layers used, the complexity of the finished surface, and the labor required to achieve a stable, fully annealed piece.
Yes — absolutely! I love creating custom work.
Commissions are a collaborative and creative process, where we work together to explore color, scale, and design. Whether you’re drawn to a particular piece, palette, or idea, custom orders allow the glass to be shaped with intention and personal meaning. Please have a look at my PORTFOLIO LINK HERE, to view past work for inspiration.
Because each piece is made by hand using layered dichroic glass and a slow kiln-firing process, custom work takes time and care. Every commission is thoughtfully designed, patiently fired, and finished as a one-of-a-kind piece.
If you have something special in mind, I’d be delighted to talk with you about it. Please reach out here

Lauren Mentzel Art Glass

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