Pigskin Glass Plates

These decorative 12” square glass plates are called “pigskin glass” because the backing was originally made from pigskin leather. Manuel Silva and Robert Ornelas are the artists that created these plates. The pigskin glass is environmentally friendly and is made with recycled window glass, water based paint, foil and screen mesh. It is made by first placing the backing material in a mold, decorative material is applied to the backing and glass is placed on top. The glass is then heated in a kiln where the heat causes the colors to mix and “slumps” the glass to seal the piece.