Fused glass is usually performed by specialist glass studios and is the contemporary practice of heat fusing glass, they often undertake commissions involving this process to create stunning art glass for architectural, public, corporate, ecclesiastic and domestic settings.

In the process of glass fusing, a collection of different types of glass are heat fused to form a new piece. For these specialist glass studios, it involves working in the contemporary design arena, this method of producing art glass is extremely flexible and allows innovation to lead in the creation of a piece of work.

The art of fusing glass with metal dates back to ancient times. Egyptian faience ware was known to have been produced between 6 and 7 thousand years ago. (Faience is a term applied to Islamic and European tin-glazed earthenware).

Egyptian glassware dating back to this time was made by mixing sand, lime and soda with copper (added as a colouring agent). The mixture was fused at an extremely high temperature to make a new piece of glass.

The earliest form of this glass was applied, as a thin layer, to a core made of sand and clay or stone. It was only later that glass could be manufactured in its pure form. At first items made were small and decorative, for example jewellery and figurines.

It seems that it wasn't until between 3 and 4 thousand years ago that the Egyptians used glass to make vessels, bowls and vases. This technical advancement was probably due to Egyptian forces moving into the Middle East and making use of knowledge and techniques of local craftsmen captured and taken into slavery. At this time, the manufacture of Egyptian glass was almost certainly controlled by Egyptian royalty.

In the centuries that followed, glass fusing became utilised across the world. The contemporary practice of heating glass in a kiln in order to soften the material enough to be able to join pieces of glass together has enabled artists to create extraordinary pieces of art glass.