Torc II

Keith Cummings is a celebrated artist, as well as an educator and author. He specializes in casting sculptures from glass, often combined with metal. Cummings is credited with sparking a great artistic interest in glass-casting techniques, particularly with the publishing of his book, The Technique of Glass Forming, in 1980, as well as his lectures at the Kiln Formed Glass Symposium of the same year. His first-hand study of ancient glass vessels has also given aided archaeological scholarship. Cummings links his interest in glass to his study of watercolor. He began to experiment with stained glass in the 1950's as a student at Durham University, fusing colored glass pieces in a kiln, leading himself toward a life-long dedication to kiln-forming. His influences are eclectic, relating to armory, ancient machines, natural forms, and landscape. Torc relates easily to these influences and incorporates his interest in archaeological finds and ancient civilizations as well. The term torc refers to an ancient form of jewelry: a rigid neck ring that was often formed by twisted metal threads. The tone and texture of the work also resemble that of a fossilized animal, while the piece of metal at the top references the mechanical world.