Experimentation

One of the great pleasures of working with glass (or any creative medium) is the opportunity to experiment and try new things while learning from past experience. The last few years have brought me so much opportunity to learn and grow--from studying with great artists in their studios, to keeping logs of the kiln firings and reflecting and adapting them to work with the color and design of a piece. I often enjoy working with tiny strings of glass (stringers) and delight in the juxtapositions of the many color combinations. This time, I tried something different--running the stringers on the short end of the piece. I am really smitten. Thank you Terri (artist from Barn Fire Studio on Lopez Island) for inspiring me!

Pratt Fine Art Auction

I am so pleased to support the Pratt Fine Art Center here in Seattle. They give so much to the community and aspiring artists in the Seattle area. This year I made a piece inspired by my time at the Leatherbarrow glass studio in Canada. I call it..."Snap, Crackle, Pop!"

Preparing for my next painting

I'm almost done with the lily pad painting (in real life it is 3 foot square) and now I'm starting to think about my next painting. Like the last one, I sketched this out on the i-pad and will work with the sketch to paint the painting. Like the lily pad, it will be 3 foot square. I also will begin by gessoing my canvas with Daniel Smith's gold gesso, to give it a warm underpainting.

Repetition

I've been working on bubble pieces for a long time and have figured out through repetition what works and what doesn't. I'm finding that repetition really is a valuable activity when working on improving skills. It's not always exciting to repeat things over and over again, but in time I see how much more insight I gain about some of the finer details. And really, it does seem to be all in the details.

Beautiful Eastern Washington

This wonderful place truly inspires me. Any time of year it is so beautiful. The utter quiet is magical. And then to have a place as lovely as Sun Mountain Lodge to stay in is icing on the cake.

Why I love non-repeating patterns

When I make my stringer (long strands of glass that I lay side by side) pieces people often ask me why I choose to have a non-repeating pattern in the glass. It is a thoughtful choice on my part to do so. I think all art (and really, I'd generalize that to life in general. Perhaps I am getting too deep here?!) is much more interesting when is varied and sometimes the unexpected occurs. It also shows that it is hand-made and not made by a machine in a factory.

This particular piece was made for a dear friend and neighbor to match her beautiful new kitchen. She's hosting a New Year's Eve party where I'm going to bring it with appetizers on top. I was thinking of doing some little skewered pickles, salami and cheese.

Saturday Glass

Every time I visit the Bullseye resource center (where I buy my glass sheets) I look to see what is in their special run productions. Sometimes I find the most interesting things. Last time I visited I saw a run of "Saturday glass" that they made in red and green. Normally, I use the glass and create my own designs, though this time I let the glass speak for itself. I really enjoy the whimsy of the piece. It now is living at Clover House in Seattle's Westlake area where it should find a home in time for a holiday party.

New Glass Necklaces

Another thing I learned in Canada at the Leatherbarrow Studio is a technique called freeze and fuse. It's a great way to make glass pendants. I really like this design and often use two different colors of glass in each pendant to give it more visual interest. These are currently at Clover House in Seattle.

Candle Light

It's the one of the best parts of the dark winter months--lighting the candles! Nothing is as romantic (or flattering) than candle-light. I've been making these votive candle holders now for several years. I love the iridescent glow and the variations of color in each one of them.