A Little of This and a Lot of Glass

Autumn Continues

2009-11-11T16:28:00.000-08:00

For once, November is not holding us hostage with the typical chilly, overcast, pre-winter blahs as usual. As any Ohioan knows, if you don't like the weather today just wait 'til tomorrow. We are having balmy days with incredible clear blue skies.

Fall also brings us beautiful night skies. Living in the country away from town's bright lights allows us to enjoy the season's crisp, clear nights with awe-inspiring views of the constellations, and not often seen views of the Milky Way. If you live near town and don't get to enjoy the night skies, you really should make an effort to get "out of town" to relive your childhood, when the smaller towns and cities and their lights didn't impede enjoying the night sky.

I've attached a picture of a recent 16 inch bowl entitled "Autumn," made just prior to fall in anticipation of the turning of the leaves. One of my favorite times of year, making this bowl allows me to enjoy the fall colors all year long. The bowl is made by sifting and sprinkling powders & different sized frits over a clear base. The black edge is done by breaking out the ring from a larger round (the hardest part of making the bowl.) This piece has my favorite finish-a sandblasted look that gives the appearance of fine leather or eggshells.

I'm going to take a quick walk to enjoy the evening while the weather is so nice. December is just around the corner and I can't imagine there is any chance Ohio will give us gentle days like these!

New Family Addition!

2009-10-17T15:13:00.000-07:00

Allow me to introduce you to Sophie, the newest member of our family. She joins Sam (black lab) and Hoover (stray that adopted us) to become the third dog in our pack.

Memorial Day weekend we lost our 11 year old lab, Reba. It took lots of coaxing before I was talked into a new puppy. Whoa! I'm eleven years older and not as fast as I used to be! This little girl can move-and getting up off the floor isn't as easy, either.

She has the bladder of a peanut and is going to be a little harder to train than Reba, but she is so cute that it makes up for it (at least for now!) In the picture she looks so innocent, but believe me, she has a little devil in her, too. Sam, being older, is somewhat leery of her but Hoover thinks she is great fun for playing chase. Hopefully in a few weeks we'll get back into a "groove" and life will be somewhat normal.

I'm putting the finishing touches on some glass projects for my last show of the year, which is a small show that benefits our local hospice. Work for now is during naptime:-)

And Now We Return to Our Regularly Scheduled Program

2009-10-05T06:31:00.000-07:00

How could this much time pass so quickly?Ok, ok! I know I am remiss regarding my blog-I just can't seem to dedicate time to it like I should. I am running out of excuses! Yes, it was a busy summer, but a year?! (Well, almost a year.)

Due to the economy I didn't sign up for as many art shows for 2009 as I would usually. This was a good thing. The shows I've done have had fewer people buying less. I just completed the Pyramid Hill Art Fair and a combination of bad weather and the economy (I assume) kept the crowd non-existant on Saturday and light on Sunday. I love this show as it is in my hometown area and I enjoy visiting with relatives and old friends. The park is an amazing collection of modern sculptural art in a beautiful wooded setting. I did meet some great people and enjoyed explaining how I fuse glass.

I have been designing more large bowls lately. I still enjoy making strip bowls, but they can be labor intensive, so the one I have up today is somewhat simplified. This is part of my windows series. On this piece, behind the window is a painted "landscape" in companion colors that draws your eye to the center. I know it looks flat, but when trying to photograph it I found that the best part was lost when viewed from the side. The bowl is a little larger than 15 inches in diameter and stands about 4 inches high. If the black lines look crooked, I assure you they are not, it is just the slope of the bowl showing.

A Bit of Jewelry

2008-12-19T08:38:00.000-08:00

Today I've decided to post a few jewelry pictures. While I started fusing glass making larger plates & bowls, I've found that designing jewelry is a nice change of pace and helps keep my work fresh, both for me and my customers. I enjoy making one-of-a-kind type pieces. Or perhaps 10-of-a-kind, though I don't like repeating work too often. I have a pretty good following and what the buyers like are the individuality of my pieces.

They also like to see what I'm doing between shows. So I've decided to bite the bullet and occasionally post a few pix. If you are interested in any pieces, you can always email me. The pieces go out as fast as they come in, so I can't guarantee what is in stock at any one time, but I can always email you pix of other pieces I do have in stock. My email address is located in my profile.

I work in sterling silver and gold-filled wire. Glass is usually dichroic, but I also use pattern bars, pot melts and combing. I like working back and forth, from large glass to small. It keeps me from boredom and keeps ideas fresh. I think the jewelry pieces are little works of art. I hope you think so, too.

I never intended to make jewelry when I began fusing. At first it was just an interest in working with dichroic glass. Then I thought I'd make a few pieces to wear, to show my love of glass. I found I was pretty good at it. It was another layer to my craft. People like the pieces. Sales kept me in more glass. And they wanted more. So, I'll continue making jewelry until I tire out or the public tires of it or me. Hopefully not too soon on either point!

Self Portrait Book Published

2008-08-10T08:58:00.000-07:00

It seems I'm playing catch-up this week. A few posts ago I mentioned I was part of a group of glass artists involved in a self-portrait project. Headed by Cynthia Oliver, we were invited to submit our renditon of our self-portrait.

If you'd like to see the portraits and read a little about the artists check out Cynthia's special blog. At the bottom of the page you can see info regarding ordering a copy if you like.

Glass Quilt Installed!

2008-08-10T08:42:00.000-07:00

While it's been a while since I posted, you can be sure that I've been very busy in the studio. I've been working on some commissioned pieces which took up a bit of time, working them in with my regular pieces, plus jewelry is flying out so fast I'm having trouble keeping a good supply on hand. The farm is always top priority, especially in the summer, so sometimes the glass work takes second place, but it's always first in my mind, with ideas swirly around like bees on flowers.

I've been negligent in reporting that the glass quilt has been installed at the Sacred Heart Children's Hospital in Spokane, Washington. While few of us were able to attend the unveiling, Toni Johnson, the queen of coordinators kept all of us informed on the happening with many photos. What an amazing journey it has been! What started out as just a fun project to stretch our glass skills has turned into an incredible "real" quilt to be enjoyed by many. Toni generously allowed me to post several photos here. The three photos above show the piece during assembly, at the unveiling, and a closeup of the list of participants. I am honored to be a part of it. If you remember my piece is "Dancing Inferno." If you go back (a few) blog entries you can see a close up of it.

How I Became "Hooked"

2008-04-08T15:59:00.000-07:00

For those of you following my haphazard blog, today I'll tell you a little about myself. I live on an active farm in southern Ohio. We raise soybeans, corn, wheat and a LOT of hay. I've been married to my hubby for almost 35 years so we've got the partnership-thing down pat. He has always supported my artistic "hobbies" making me items I needed for whatever I was currently working on. I contribute by helping on the farm as needed.

For many years I did decorative painting on wood. When our other farm was sold we moved about 1 1/2 hours away to our new farm. On this property was a beautiful 150 year old brick Federal-style home. It was begging for stained glass windows. I had always wanting to learn copper foil stained glass and found a studio willing to show me the ropes.

While I never filled the house totally with stained glass, I did manage to work in it for about 10 years, with much of my bounty going to (I hope) happy relatives. The fusing craze was going on during the later part of these years and I got the bug. Originally, I only wanted to make fused items to incorporate into my stained glass, but that was not the end result.

From the first firing, I was hooked! There is something about melting and learning to control the glass that is somewhat addictive. I love combining colors, learning new techniques and exploring this fascinating medium. I never made another stained glass window. For that, I'm somewhat ashamed....until I open that kiln again to see what "cooked" overnight. Then the madness starts again!

Also surprising for me, when I painted on wood it was in a very "country" theme. Again, when I began working in stained glass I leaned toward florals, nature, and country themes. Not so with fusing. I do some florals, but in general I have gravitated towards a more modern style with cleaner lines focusing on space, color, and balance. It is a new outlet for me which I'm enjoying exploring. I have become accomplished enough to begin selling my sushi sets, bowls, plates, etc. at several juried shows with good reviews (and sales) by attendees.

I don't know how long this "ride" will be, but I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts. The glass bowl I am showing today is a combination of my "country" beginnings and my "modern" style of today. The technique is one demonstrated by glass artist Patty Gray. I was fortunate enough to spend 4 days under her direction at Delphi Glass in Michigan late last year. She is a wealth of knowledge and a generous teacher. If you have an opportunity to take a class from Patty you will not be disappointed. I've enjoyed making these bowls because they bring out a spontaneity that my work usually lacks. I tend to plan out many of my pieces, "sweating the details" but when I make these bowls I allow myself the freedom to play.

Glass Self-Portrait Gallery Open

2008-04-02T14:23:00.000-07:00

April 1st was the opening for the Warm Glass Bulletin Board Self Portrait Project. Quite a mouthful. This is an diversified group of artists and it shows in the work. Check out the gallery and I think you'll be pleased. I enjoyed reading the artist comments as much as seeing the amazing glass.

This was a fun project and I am glad I participated. Each challenge pushes me a little further in my glass work. I've included a teaser of my project to whet your appetite. Check out the gallery and see what else is there. Cynthia Oliver did an amazing job of compiling photos and comments into a cohesive gallery for all of us to enjoy.

Birthday Contemplation

2008-03-11T16:19:00.000-07:00

It came again. Two weeks ago. My birthday. I can't say that I have a problem with that-the alternative is not desirable. The only birthday that gave me thoughts of stopping time was when my daughter turned 30. Somehow having a child turning 30 made me feel older, or at least, different.

I can't really say I don't feel older. I've got the aches and pains usually associated with the middle-aged crowd, of which I'm firmly ensconced. The mirror keeps me honest: where did that wrinkle come from and when did those gray hairs appear?

So I'm taking stock of myself. Not physical stock, but who I am, where I've been and where I want to go. I'm actually in the prime of my life. That's not a cliche-all my prior years have made me what and who I am today. Every crayon I ever picked up, every piece of paper I cut, every silly doodle have helped form me and pressed me to try ever-harder craft.

Life and living life makes all of us who we are. Happy, sad, good, bad, all contribute to how we think, feel and relate to the world around us. While I have made mistakes along the way, I hope that my simple life will somehow make a small contribution to the world and I won't be judged too harshly.

Today I know who I am....tomorrow.....not so sure.

Since I'm feeling a little "blue" today, I've added a picture of a blue kiln-formed bowl. This is made out of 1/4 inch strips of glass, both opals and cathedrals, set on edge. The insets are previously made pattern bars which were sliced on a tile saw and set within the strips. I fired it face down to retain the crisp lines, then flipped, sandblasted, firepolished, and finally formed into the bowl shape.

Not So Bad After All

2008-02-27T15:23:00.000-08:00

After all my whining about the self-portrait project over on warmglass I finally completed mine and "turned in" my project. There is always something nice about completing a project after weeks of deliberation, rough drawings, tossing ideas, and finally the "eureka!" button goes off in my head and I actually start cutting glass.

Usually once I'm at this point I pretty much keep the glass looking like the drawing, but this time I found myself playing a bit more than usual and changed the "prominence" of some items and their position on my project. Curious? Cynthia Oliver is heading this project and is planning on an early March "gallery" opening. I'll post a link when it's open to the public.

I'll post a link to the portraits as soon as they're on display. Thanks for dropping in!

Excuses, Excuses

2008-02-10T10:29:00.000-08:00

The closeup you see is one of a bowl I made late last year. Not easily seen is that this bowl is composed of thin strips of glass layed up on edge. I have always liked creating strip pieces and have started a series based upon the "windows" in the bowls.

The new year has brought some changes to my little studio. We've poured a new skim coat of concrete to cover the 100 year old cracked, rough one. Wow! I can actually use a broom on this now. My chief construction engineer (husband) ran some extra electrical outlets, added a fan above my work table, and a new door. This so improves how I work, but it has meant some down time. My hubby has always supported me in my art and it is always appreciated.

I'm one of those people that can work non-stop for weeks, but if I have something that throws me off my "groove" I have trouble getting back to work. That's where I'm at now. I've got some new things made, and have a few things "in my head." Unfortunately, February is tax month for farmers, so I've got that to deal with, plus February is usually when I apply to the few art shows I do. That means applications, taking new pictures of new work to submit, etc. On top of this I committed to a collaboration project again.

This project is a "self-portrait" to be done with fused glass as the main components. Not one to even like having my picture taken, I'm wishing I never said I'd participate, but I really enjoyed the glass quilt collaboration project from last year so here I am again! I've spent time on and off trying to come up with a way to express "who I am" without having to attempt to pencil an actual drawing of myself. I think I've got an idea nailed down, now I'm hoping I can get it out off the paper and into the glass before the fast-approaching March 1st deadline.

I'm running out of excuses.

2007-12-19T07:59:00.000-08:00

I feel like I have already failed my blog. Between an end-of-show-season respite and the Christmas holidays fast approaching I've neglected to update my blog for almost a month. Never one to procrastinate, always on time, as I've grown older I find myself arriving 10 minutes late to the dentist and behind on my farm accounting. So it's no wonder the blog is floundering!

The shopping is finally completed and the packages all wrapped (if you can call throwing things in a pretty bag wrapped) and awaiting their trip back home for the holidays. Every year I swear I'm going to go back to pretty paper with fancy handmade bows and twirling ribbons but each time I receive so many gifts in bags that I feel obligated to reuse them the following year, which perpetuates the cycle. There is such fun in the anticipation of opening a wrapped gift, whether one rips the present bare with vigor or gently unwraps as if unswaddling a new babe.

With a few days to myself before the holidays I am now back working in my studio on new projects. I've got several new sushi/dessert sets in the works, a really nice coneflower bowl, and a new tuxedo cat bowl-all ready for their mold firing. Perhaps you'll see them on the blog next year!

Thanks for checking in with me. I wish everyone a very merry Christmas!

2007-11-23T14:54:00.000-08:00

Winter has finally arrived in Ohio with brisk, chilly winds and our first inch of snow. I've decided to hibernate today and took a look through some of my favorite glass pieces I completed when the air was much warmer.

I really like exploring the process of pattern bars. If you're not familiar with them, they consist of a simple idea that finishes with a more complicated look. Strips of glass in varying widths are stacked and fused. Sometimes with a planned pattern but for me, usually quite freeform. This stack is built until it reaches 3/4-1 inch high. It is fully fused and sliced into 1/8-1/4 inch sections. These are layed side-by-side to create a repeating pattern. They can be quite beautiful. Above is one of my favorite pieces done in this technique.

When first conceived my mind was still on the pleasant memories of refreshing Belize breezes. Now looking at the piece with winter raising it's head I'm thinking of the brisk white snows & blue ice to come.

Great News!

2007-11-18T22:13:00.000-08:00

Last time I wrote about the Glass Quilt Project. Toni Johnson, who headed the collaboration, has informed us that she has found a permanent home for the quilt blocks. They will be installed at the Sacred Heart Children's Hospital in Tacoma, Washington. She not only found a home for the quilt but also found someone to donate the fabrication work necessary to "sew" the blocks into a "quilt."

This is exciting for all of us. Installation could be late December. I hope to have a picture of the final installation or at least a link to the actual quilt once it's completed.

2007-11-05T16:07:00.000-08:00

I've had a busy week with both my MIL spending a few days visiting and my last show of the season. I only do about 4-5 shows each year. While this last one's not the biggest it is nicely run and is "hometown" so it's always nice to see people you know and be able to show them what you've been working on the past year. People always want to know "What the heck I'm doing in that garage all year?" This is my chance to show my friends and neighbors.

One piece that got lots of attention was my contribution to the virtual warm glass quilt many of us worked on earlier this year. This was a collaboration of fused glass artists with each artist given the task of making a piece that would represent one of the four elements: earth, air, water, fire or you could also do all if you desired. Toni Johnson worked hard to make this a beautiful site for all of us to enjoy. Lots of fusing techniqures were used so take a few minutes to see all of the great blocks. There you can read about each piece by the artists, which included glassies from around the world. My entry is the "Dancing Inferno" piece pictured above.

A fellow fused glass artist, Cynthia Morgan, has a great listing of other fused glass blogs for you to check out. Such a wealth of talent all in one place! Also, if you are interested in learning more about fusing don't miss Brad Walker's site to learn everything you every wanted to know and more about fusing glass. He has by far the most comprehensive "warm glass" site with a great search feature and a group of fusers that aren't afraid to share their knowledge.

More Strips!

2007-11-01T15:55:00.000-07:00

I can't help myself! I really enjoy making strips pieces. The biggest drawback is the amount of glass each bowl/plate takes. I've gotten pretty fast at cutting the strips but I usually underestimate how many strips each piece will need. This piece involves not only cutting the strips but inlaying the squares. I've also used a strip of a striped pattern bar along each edge. I had a hard time deciding whether to drop this into a mold or leave it as a stand alone piece in a iron stand. Obviously I finally chose the mold. Still unsure as to whether it was the right decision but for now this piece sits!

Winter's Promise

2007-11-01T15:45:00.000-07:00

While not noticeable in the picture, this piece is composed of 3/8 inch strips of 1/8" glass. The strips are set on edge tightly against each other. Decor squares and handmade stringers are added. The piece is fully fused then placed in a ceramic mold to allow the glass to gently fall, creating the shape. This bowls consists of black and the new Spectrum 96 stone color. Really nice combination.

Cafe Latte

2007-10-30T14:22:00.000-07:00

This is one of my newest pieces, "Cafe Latte." It didn't stick around long as it was created specifically as a donation piece for the Pyramid Hill Gala Event. Pyramid Hill is one of only a few outdoor sculpture parks in the US. For more info please see http://www.pyramidhill.org/. This piece is made by first full fusing a two layer blank. Then I add the decor along the edge and contour fused it. Once I was happy with how it looked I sat the blank on top of a stainless steel cocktail shaker and heated it in the kiln until the glass draped gently over the sides.

You Kept Asking Me...

2007-10-30T13:37:00.003-07:00

For those of you who keep asking, and after many requests, I have taken the plunge and started this blog. I know it's not the same as a website, but it's a big step for me. Check in once in a while to see what I'm making.

Originally working in stained glass, almost three years ago I purchased my first kiln and have never looked back. I love cooking glass! There is something "freeing" about leaving the foil, lead, came, etc. behind and just working with the glass.

About three months into fusing I had already outgrown my baby kiln but had to wait a over a year more before I could afford the big one I coveted. What a difference! Now I can produce larger items and more than one thing at a time. I still use my baby kiln for tests and jewelry. I'm addicted...I'm thinking about a mid-size kiln now.

While I tend to make what I call "functional, decorative art" I also like making art pieces. I like doing strip pieces, pattern bars, dichroic jewelry and I've been playing with pot melts. If you are unfamiliar with these terms I suggest you check out www.warmglass.com. I'll explain more about them as time allows.

I hope you enjoy the site!