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Mark Ditzler creates his unique glass art using the fused glass method. First, hot glass is scooped from a furnace, rolled into a flat sheet and cooled. A sheet is then selected for color and texture and cut according to the final design. The glass is then arranged in a kiln and fired to more than 1500°, melting and fusing it into one seamless piece. After cooling, the piece may be fired again, perhaps over a mold to "slump" the glass into a final shape. This glass fusing method is the oldest and most unusual glass-forming technique, first used by the Egyptians and Romans over 4,000 years ago. It is now a re-emerging art form, centered in the Pacific N.W. As a Seattle native, Mark grew up with a deep appreciation for the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. An avid outdoorsman and gardener, his art is often influenced by the intricate beauty of the natural environment. Mark has Fine Art and Industrial Design degrees from WWU in Bellingham, WA. Active in the Seattle art and design community for more than 20 years, he has taught at numerous locations including Seward Park Art Studio, Pratt Fine Art Center, The Frye Art Museum, and the Corning Museum of Glass in New York.