Sean Free Alcala

Artist Background

Sean Free Alcala is a second-generation glass artist from Salida, California. His creative journey began 20 years ago while living by the coastline next to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. He learned his craft from his father David, who was an established artist and professional glass art instructor. Today Sean’s handmade jewelry and dynamic glass objects capture the essence of water and show the different moods of the ocean. 

Glass Making Process

At first glance, many assume Alcala’s glasswork to be made from liquid resin or acrylic polymer. While others think his glass was formed inside a furnace or sculpted from a torch. However, Alcala glass Aquascapes have a story of their own. 

Through two decades of material exploration, Sean has created a signature process of glass making that blends modern glass casting techniques with lamination and glass fusing principles. He makes use of plaster silica, metal, vermiculite boards, ceramic forms, and high temperature fibers to make his custom molds. The molds are carefully filled with colorful glass, then skillfully cut, and layered to create an inner composition. 

Additionally, he has discovered a method of slowly flowing glass inside of a kiln through density displacement and gravity. Most of his designs are fired multiple times to create distinct visual effects. Once the glass is cooled and solid, Sean utilizes various diamond hand tools, power drills, saws and grinders to cold-work, shape and polish each and every piece of his wearable art and sculptural objects.