| Reviving a vanishing art form has become a | | | | Roderick is among a small group of artists |
| passion and a business for Leucadia artist | | | | that have devoted themselves to the |
| Roderick Treece, owner of RLT Custom Glass | | | | preservation of classic techniques of glass |
| Signs and Mirrors in Leucadia, California. | | | | art. He customizes his mirrors using inlayed |
| | | | abalone, mother of pearl, colored crystals, |
| Utilizing both nineteenth century techniques | | | | gold or silver leaf, sandblasting, etching, |
| and modern technology Roderick creates | | | | glue chipping, and reverse back painting. All |
| one-of-a-kind antique mirrors. Part of what | | | | of the decorative treatments are applied to |
| makes each piece unique is that the artwork | | | | the back of the glass, to be appreciated |
| is in the mirror, it's not just a mirror in | | | | through the smooth reflective surface of the |
| an elaborate frame. Indeed, his custom | | | | front of the glass. Practically any material |
| mirrors feature a broad range of textures, | | | | can be utilized to create an original |
| colors and finishes. "I can make a mirror | | | | artwork. ?I enjoy working closely with every |
| look as if it has been passed down for | | | | client to create a piece that makes a |
| generations." | | | | statement. One client asked me to design a |
| | | | mirror for his home bar. I created an antique |
| The wonders of history and travel have always | | | | style mirror with the family name reverse |
| inspired artists. Travels to Portugal, Latin | | | | back painted on the glass. He loved it. |
| America, Italy and Indonesia clearly | | | | It's timeless and will be treasured by the |
| influence Rod?s ability to creating unique | | | | family for years to come?. |
| antique mirror designs. The back painted | | | | |
| glass of the Caf? Florin in Venice, the | | | | Roderick Treece has been creating custom |
| guilded signs of the Ponte Vecchio in | | | | glass signs and mirrors for over twenty-five |
| Florence, and the glass art of Bali, | | | | years, but even as a little boy he knew this |
| compelled Rod to research and revive these | | | | was his calling. Treece's father was the |
| glass techniques that were in danger of | | | | director of the graphics department at world |
| becoming obsolete. Handmade antique mirrors | | | | famous Knott's Berry Farm. ?I used to go to |
| have been popular throughout history. Ancient | | | | work with my dad in the morning and wander |
| mirrors were just pieces of polished metal, | | | | around for hours unsupervised. Eventually, |
| but they evolved into expressions of romance | | | | the security guards would drag me back to my |
| and beauty. Research shows that mirrors used | | | | dad's sign shop, and for the rest of the day, |
| in Greco-Roman times and throughout the | | | | to keep me out of trouble, he'd have me |
| European Middle Ages were disks of metal -- | | | | repaint perfectly good signs, under the guise |
| bronze, tin, or silver -- that reflected | | | | that they needed a color change.? |
| light off their highly polished surfaces. | | | | |
| From the late 17th century on, mirrors--and | | | | Whether inside or outside, framed or |
| their frames--played an increasingly | | | | unframed, custom antique mirrors are |
| important role in room d?cor. Mirrors have | | | | available in any shape or architectural |
| long been used to create an illusion of | | | | design. RLT Custom Glass Signs and Mirrors |
| space. | | | | has taken on the challenge of bringing |
| | | | antique mirrors to life. |