textures in glass

Mostly clear hand-made blobs with a few dichroic blobs add dimensionality to this substantial piece.

Coarse clear fit covers some areas of the whole piece while hand bent stringer floats along in  "calmer waters." 

The customer would prefer that I not show off the whole piece...so you just get a little snippet.

When Two Hands Are Not Enough!

I'm bending fragile 1mm thick glass stringers in a small candle flame. It takes patience and focus. I decided to do this work over the besheyrt words I make for healing services and various other small group uses. The words are reassuring and actually help me concentrate.

I wanted to photograph myself bending the stringers...but that requires at least one additional hand! Oh well......next time!

Carrying the finished stringers to the kiln proved hazardous....several snapped. I will reheat the ends and "glue them back together.

 The stringers appear black in the photo because  the flame deposits soot on the glass. Soot is carbon, so the soot will burn off when fired.... 

Time to return to the flame!

Tools of the Trade

My father was a skillful tailor. His primary tools were needle, thread, thimble, chalk, patterns, an old converted pedal Singer sewing machine, and a measuring tape. He would wear the tape around his neck the way a physician sports a stethoscope.

I never learned to sew. I tried! Dad was a perfectionist and I just didn't "measure up".

Today I rummaged through his sewing machine drawers and found an old tape measurer....I needed something longer than my T ruler.
After my measuring and marking I immediately draped it around my neck. It felt so right! Dad, you would be proud of my insistence on careful measurement. I get it now!!!!!!

When the Weather Outside is.....

When the weather outside is
Beautiful....Cold......Frightful.....
The kiln sits idle.

I have no excuses....I could be cutting glass, assembling projects, and filling that cold empty kiln but as first the snow fell and then later freezing rain and black ice, it became down time. A chance to rest, renew, reimagine.

Today I'll return to the studio. A little cleaning and then I will tackle the first of two commissions. I'm slowly sipping my coffee, and writing this entry as the 1st glass task begins to sort itself out. A friend's dog needs walking and I have to replenish some staple kitchen products (we've been indoors for several icy days), and then I'll begin.

I store my large format glass outside. I know that many folks cut glass cold. I'm going to bring it inside and let it get warm and cozy while I walk the dog and run errands. The anticipation will build and by the time I set out to score and break my glass, I will have visualized the whole piece. I won't be posting a photo of this piece, as requested by my patron, but I may be able to post a portion of it. 

In a few days I'll have a second item that I can share with you. It's time to walk that dog!