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At that time, Ray was toiling in a nine-to-fiver with plenty of possibility for advancement but none for satisfaction. He would spend all of his off-hours working in his studio on the hobby his wife Barbara had started him on in 1975, when on a whim she bought him the makings of a stained glass lamp. If only I could turn my hobby into my profession, he mused. Barbara concurred. “Why not?” She asked. “You spend a third of your life working, it might as well be at something you love.” And so the next year the pair established Folio Art Glass Inc. Soon they were exhibiting at Arts and Crafts shows up and down the Atlantic Seaboard, building a clientele of loyal and discerning collectors. Joined now by Kim and her glass artist husband Tim Dorland, the Folio’s have gotten away from the craft shows to stay home and work the store. Over the years the Folio product has evolved from stained glass windows and Tiffany reproductions to painted, kiln-fired, and fused glass pieces. Fused glass is their latest enterprise, and it is finding a new audience among patrons who are looking for both function and durability in their glass designs. Unlike traditional art pieces, fused glass is meant to be more than merely decorative. From candle holders to serving platters, fused glass is both food and dishwasher safe. At the beginning of the manufacturing process the glassware is delicately decorated by hand, using enamel powders layered between clear glass. The piece is then placed on a mold or flat surface and fired at nearly 1500 degrees. This causes the glass to take on the shape of the mold and allows glass and enamel to fuse. The process creates both a texture and bubble pattern, a natural characteristic of this form of glass, which combine to make each piece truly unique. After cooling, cleaning and inspecting, mostly each piece is signed by one of the Folio’s before being placed on the display floor. A successful enterprise from the beginning, Folio Art Glass is a tribute to Ray’s craftsmanship, Barbara’s business acumen and creativity, and Kim’s Artistry. Tim Dorland adds a new dimension to the realm of fused glass with his one of a kind fused paintings, one-of-a-kind glass mosaics and classes in all areas of glass. Their store in picturesque Colts Neck, New Jersey, has enabled them to expand their studio space and also provide the public with the opportunity to see not only the finished product, but also how it is made, from cutting to powdering to firing. The Folio philosophy, as it has been from the start, is a simple one: We’re not a factory, we’re a family. Come visit the family online or at the store! |