About the Artist

Artist Terry Corcoran Gomien started CoGoGlass in her Chicago basement many years ago when her kids were little. The medium of glass captivated every part of her artistic creativity and craftsmanship. Her son is now in College and her daughter is a senior in High School.  Terry continues to master her craft through further education and practice.

Terry studied Industrial Design at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. She enjoyed a career as a product designer then moved to Rhode Island to design toys for Hasbro.  Terry moved back to Chicago and worked as a toy inventor for many years at Big Monster Toys (formerly Breslow Morrison Terzian). Terry created many toys in her career but her kids are still her best project ever.

About the Process of Glass Fusing

The process of glass fusing happens in the heat of a kiln.  The glass used for fused glass art is created specifically for the purpose of fusing.  This glass comes in many forms such as sheet glass, small pieces of ground glass called Frit, strings like spaghetti called Stringers and thicker solid glass pieces called billet.  Most pieces created at CoGoGlass incorporate hand cut sheet glass that's layered and then fired in a kiln.  The pieces that contain dimension are called tack or contour fused and the pieces that are smooth are full fused.  This usually takes place anywhere from 1200-1500 degrees Fahrenheit.  Terry uses Bullseye Glass handmade in Portland, Oregon.  It is considered COE 90 glass and comes in a rainbow of colors both transparent and opaque.  COE is the Coefficient of Expansion that refers to the movement of glass molecules as they heat and cool.

About the Team

Terry Corcoran Gomien started CoGoGlass making all of the glass pieces herself then boxing and shipping every order.  The Holiday and Garden Collections grew so popular Terry had to find other artists to assist.  Terry found student artists through Joliet Junior College.  2021 was the sixth year of the Holiday Tree Collection and the CoGoGlass team continues to grow stronger and more productive.  Brooke Engel, one of the original assistants continues to work at CoGoGlass and Tess Cepela and Mikayla Pemble have joined the team.  This four person team does an immense amount of work together and makes doing the work a fulfilling experience.