Barb Byrne’s technique creates painting-like glass creations.
Barb Byrne’s “paint” of choice is powdered glass.
While many traditional glass artists prefer to cut their glass from larger pieces and shape it as they craft, Barb approaches this art form differently, using crushed glass powder to create a “painted” effect on her pieces.
Before this Lee’s Summit artist had an at-home studio of her own, Barb got her start with glass art in 2009 when she attended her first fused glass class at a community center. After about six months of taking classes, her husband, who is also an artist, encouraged her to buy her own kiln.
At first, Barb was hesitant to purchase this high-dollar machine. She says that she had a tendency to invest in art forms only to lose interest in them soon after.
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However, this time, history did not repeat itself, and
Barb kept creating. With the combined efforts of selling her glass creations and loved ones making secret deposits into her kiln savings account, she eventually purchased her first kiln.
“It may sound a little bit trite,” Barb says, “But every time I open the kiln, it is like Christmas morning.”
Barb’s process involves firing her pieces several times before finishing them. The fewest firings she has ever done on a piece is four, and the most, 14.
She works in small sections, usually starting with the subject’s eyes, nose, and mouth before firing the glass powder and moving on.
“You cannot breathe it in,” Barb says. “So when I work with it, I have to use one of those respirator masks. It looks really cool.”
The inspiration for a lot of Barb’s pieces can be traced back to a 300-acre farm she used to live on. She finds it easy to draw inspiration from the natural rural landscape.
In a full circle fashion, Barb now teaches classes to people in her community, much like the ones she attended. She hosts classes every two or three months, where attendees create items to display in their homes, such as Christmas ornaments or luminarias.
For those who want to try creating powdered glass art, Barb has a few words of advice: “You need to be patient with yourself and the materials and understand that it is an investment of time and money, but it is incredibly rewarding.”
• The Best of Missouri Hands is a 500-member nonprofit dedicated to developing and recognizing Missouri artists and artisans. “Interaction, Education, & Encouragement”
• BestOfMissouriHands.org
This article was originally printed in the June 2026 issue of Missouri Life.
