I find making functional pieces like plates and bowls enjoyable and I love that they can be used. Cut art glass pieces are layered on a kiln shelf and fired to fuse the glass together. I can control the texture of the finished piece by controlling how high I heat the glass. In high temperatures, the glass becomes fluid, causing a leveling effect. In lower temperatures, the glass remains "stacked" in texture.
A second firing shapes the plates and bowls. I place the glass piece on a ceramic or fiberglass mold coated with a protective resist. I fire the glass just hot enough to let it slump into the shape of the mold.