Landmark Creations ornaments are created differently. Joellen's ornaments start with a visceral passion about the places she has lived or has visited, and the craft of glass blowing. It might be the way a building is highlighted against a wintry sky, it could be the peel of a child's laughter as she reaches for a hot dog from the cart or, it could be the rush of air and sudden life of a hot air balloon lifting in a vineyard. These are the memories upon which Jo creates our art. This art, coupled with the physical properties of molten glass and its European art form, are what gives a Landmark Creations ornament a magic that differs from all others.
Design
Joellen’s designs are drawn on paper, first as a black and white sketch, and then rendered into a 3-D color design. The completed artwork is sent, along with the color and glittering specifications, to one of our makers in Europe.
Prepping the Glass
The 3-D design is used by the sculptor to sculpt a clay model which is then used to create the actual mold into which the glass is blown and shaped. To start, the blower, who has most often been trained by his father and his father before him, will gently roll the glass pipette over the open flame to warm it.
Shaping the Glass
Sealing one end, the blower will blow a small ball shape before closeting the parts of the mold over it. Once closed, the blower continues to blow so that the molten glass fills the entire interior of the mold.
Silvering
After it is blown, the shape is then cooled. At this point the ball may be silvered or not. Silvering is the process by which a clear drop of silver nitrate is inserted into the glass ornament. The ornament is then submerged into a tub of hot water and shaken so that the nitrate/water solution coats the interior of the glass shape. The heat of the bath makes the nitrate turn silver and it is this silver coating on the inside of the ornament that creates the incredible luminosity in the paint used on the exterior of the ornament.
Decorating
Silvered or not, once the glass shape is cooled and dried, the next step is to decorate the ornament. It takes hours!
Final Steps
Once the paints and glitters have dried, the neck of the ornament is cut and cap, loop and medallion are attached.
Given all the steps to be taken during both the creative and physical process of making an ornament, the development of just one design may take up to 9 months!
It’s no wonder that Landmark Creations’ ornaments are
The Most Beautiful Ornaments of the World™
