This process requires mixing glass powder with dry and wet binders, kneading the mixture, flattening it and cutting a shape. After the piece is dry, cold work, sift powders and draw lines in the feather, then fuse.

I chose a schedule that would result in whiter whites and a glossy finish. (See above photo - feather on piece of Cholla.) To attempt getting the feather to a feather-like shape instead of flat, I used wire mesh to slump the piece. The result isn't bad for the first time working with modeling glass and powders but it's too glossy for my taste. So, I created another feather and used a different schedule to provide a matt finish and more relief along with a whiter white. 

My goal was that the final result would be a breathtaking blue jay glass feather, capturing the beauty and intricacy of the natural world in a unique and artistic way.

For the second attempt at a glass feather, instead of cobalt blue glass powder, I used mariner blue and fused using a different schedule. The white tip turned out gray and the blue was two light. So I sifted a thin

layer of adventurine blue on the feather, added white and clear powder to the tip and fused it again, then slumped it on the wire mesh. The feather's dimensions shrank more than 20% going through the 3 fuse sessions.