Barbel Brooks’ passion is fusing glass. Artistically and technically, glasswork presents an evolving challenge.During the fusion process, pieces of glass in varying sizes are assembled with different techniques before being kiln fired several times at 1200 to 1600 degrees Fahrenheit. They are then cold worked by cutting, grinding and polishing. Often fired repeatedly to achieve a desired finish or shape, each piece is a unique representation of her skills and imagination.With a background in chemistry and physics, Barbel’s is a scientific understanding of glass and how it responds magically to heat. The unique transformations never fail to amaze her. She draws upon her own history and experiences to influence her art.A lifelong relationship with the sea is her biggest inspiration. During her childhood years, she sailed the Baltic Sea in Germany, her native country. As a young adult, the rugged and breathtaking seacoast of Cape Town, South Africa is forever seared in her memory. Later in life, living aboard her sailboat in the Caribbean and experiencing the turquoise waters between the Bahamas and South America for eleven years left another indelible impression. Today, her studio workbench faces Bogue Sound, a wide and ever-changing body of moving water in Eastern North Carolina.Each piece of glass is a personal symbol of her history with the sea.