Hot shop class at Glass Stock 2008

Here I am at Glass Stock 2008! Well this is the hot shop class in which I make a beautiful purple silver vase, with the guidance of Mike Crowley. In this first picture I have my first gathter of glass and I am getting ready to marver it toward the end of the blowpipe.













Ok! Not pretty but I am doing it. Here holding the blowpipe and blowing the initial bubble into the glass. And believe it or not this was easy compared to my last experience. Mike is a great teacher!














Back at the marvering table!

Eugene Glass Guild show g continuing on til end of July

Well I put my work into its first show! What a stressful event. First of all dropping off the items and not knowing if they are good enough. Not knowing what other artists were bringing work...so many unknowns for me the worrier to worry about. LOL

Ends up that there was a very wide range of pieces and I was hoping that many of my pieces being on the lower end of the scale, price wise, would sell easier. LOL time will tell

There was definately a good supportive people from Eugene that wanted to see glass around all the time. Locals who came in keep saying...why can't this art be here all the time so when I need a gift I can support the local artisans.

Sure was nice to here acceptance in the community. Not that I thought otherwise...its just nice to hear it.

The show was suppose to end after 10 days, during the olympic trials...but ended up being extended due to a nice man who had the empty building in the beginnning. He wants to see it filled for the month....so our luck worked and we have it for the month.

Hopfully a few of my items will sell!! Wish me luck!

The studio.....

Well I am still working on the studio....still need to put together some shelving units to put up my kiln forms. And I am trying to find a good solution for separating my different COE's of glass. If anyone had some tips that would be great.

I have been playing with the lusters from bullseye....but almost everything I have made has cracked. I am using a basic white under the luster and am wondering if that is the culprit...if anyone has experience with the lusters help....it is too expensive to have everything crack on me.

Then just a bit ago I made a new boro pendant on my mini CC. Gosh it was slow going.....took about 45minutes to do one.... I need to get more O2 to that torch... So I guess I need to bring in a tank...So I will being doing some research on the cost of getting that into the studio. I hope to post some new pictures later on today.....

Smile the sun is out!

Here is another view of my work station..not too impressive but I am pleased.

Here is a beautiful bowl and a fuzzy picture of it that I have made ....I love this piece!

Glass Glass Glass Glass......here is my bootie I brought home from Winship

Updates....

Here is me with my new pendant on from Jenny Newtson. She was my first glass instructor....love you Jenny! I am just returning from a full day at the Oregon glass guild/ Portland Bead Society show at the Portland Convention Center. Picture courtesy of my 7yo Amelia

This is my shirt logo from Winship...i love it...I couldn't imagine anything cuter! I have the tank top and the jersey type shirt!

This is my friend Suzanne Box who ownns ZB Beads...she is a Boro Guru...she was the first person to teach me how to use boro...I got a lovey neclace from her booth in a to die for purple and she is making me matching earrings. Go Suzanne! You Rock! This was her first show and I think she did well. I thought her beads blew many other the others out of the water...but then again I am biased...but she is really good at her work.

Here is my workstation in the garage right now! A start for a studio...

After Glow

Well I was on the torch for about two hours and I have two broken beads and about 10 nice ones, including 3 hearts.....of course my daughters think they are all lovely and want to keep them....me I think they are a good start for being off the torch for so long... I will try to take some pictures and get them up...
I worked boro and soft glass yesterday...Gosh I love boro....but I need a bigger torch..or more patience...lol.....but I am going to try to really make some nice soft glass beads because I think that in the marketplace they are more desirable.
It is amazing how just sitting at the torch can melt away...anxiety and the day to day stress of life...maybe the music helps too...anyway it is just what the doctor ordered.
Today I am going to try to make some colorful sets for a wet canvas donation for kids iwth cancer along with hearts and butterflies. Wish me luck
PS I ordered a third kiln for the studio http://aimkilns.com/assets/images/96j.JPG and I am going to try to find out if I can use my first kiln as a crucible.

I did it! Blow Glass Blow lol

Well I got back on the torch today! Thank god! I got the table reset up...still have alot more organizing to do but...i'm back in the saddle again!..I am so happy I can hardly explain it....i will post more later