Parched Earth

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Parched Earth

Soda Lime Glass and Mica

4 9/8" Decorative Square Sushi Plates

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Texas is presently experiencing the worst drought in 44 years with the driest 7-month span on record ever. While parts of the country are dealing with terrible floods and tragic tornado, Texas is slowly and quietly withering away. As the ground shifts and cracks, I watch the hot summer breeze kick up the dusty earth as it passes.

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Navajo Blanket

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16 x 20" Flameworked and Kilnformed Soda Lime Glass

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Taking inspiration from a Navajo Chief-Style Blanket, this piece begun with a conversation in  January and ended up in a Texas Hill Country ranch home in May. The 1870 Navajo textile this piece takes inspiration from had beautiful color and motif. Staying true to the inspiration while accommodating my vision of this fabric like work of glass called for attention to detail from beginning to end. The entire piece is made of 1mm strings of glass. The end trim and highlighted seems are finished with twisted cane. It was slumped in a custom made mold to provide for the fabric like folds and finished with brackets to suspend the piece 1.5" from the wall.

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A Visit with Big Dog Neon

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In the mood for a little adventure, I escaped from San Antonio for a Sunday Drive headed in the direction of Lockhart, Texas. There was no real agenda. It was just time to get off the beaten path and explore fresh territory. 

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It was approaching the end of the day already when we made a last minute stop to explore a quite little episcopal church. The moment I stepped out of the car I heard the sound of music streaming from the open doors of a two story brick building across the street. The front door was wide open and a soft glow came from inside. I looked up to see the sign Big Dog Neon and instantly knew I was standing in front of a glass studio. After exploring the church we strolled past Big Dog Neon and confirmed my suspicions. It's not terribly often you find a working neon artist, aso this was a real treat. Kirk Tunningley was busy at work inside. With a wide soft natural gas flame he skillfully bent glass tubing while chatting with a friend and welcoming our distraction. Vintage neon signs hung from every nook and cranny. A rainbow of colored lights hung above our heads, perfect for clients to select from available colors. The space was vast and I instantly begun to have studio envy. Who wouldn't absolutely love to work in this big brick building with so much space and character.

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Here are a couple of links you might enjoy if you want to explore Big Dog Neon a little further:

• Student Documentary Projects with Joe Vitone
• Detour: Big Dog Neon
• Photos on Flicker

Papel Picado

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Papel Picado
Kilnformed soda lime glass with layered imagery includes four 3 3/4" sushi plates, a 8x7" plate and a 6x11" platter 

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It was Fiesta in San Antonio when I started this series. Restaurant patios, school classrooms and street corners where all decorated with papel picado. I didn't make it downtown for Fiesta this year . I guess creating this series was my own little way of celebrating. Both fun and functional., I hope they bring a bit of the Fiesta spirit to a very special home. Just delivered earlier today, you can now find this new series at  Artisans at Rocky Hill in Fredericksburg, Texas.

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close up of the imagery on the 6x11" platter

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Natural Attraction

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 This time last year I was driving through the country side admiring the abundance of wildflowers. The vibrant colors  splattered across fields as if they came straight from an artist paint pallet. This year is very different. I can't remember our last good rain. There certainly hasn't been one this spring. Already in stage 1 drought restrictions this years wildflowers came and went so quickly I wonder if it was a figment of my imagination. On my most recent drive south of San Antonio the landscape was gold, amber and red. The only real wildflowers to survive these conditions are the reds and yellows of the Indian Blanket and Mexican Hat. What caught my attention on this drive were the fields of wheat shining golden in the sun. Texas can be beautiful place both in the years lush from rain and when kissed by the sun. I imagine this will be a long dry summer during which the native grasses and fields of wheat will dance in the hot breeze of the afternoon.

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These images were still fresh in my minds eye when Leah Fairbanks arrived at Wired Designs Studio to teach a workshop on Gardens of Glass. Although I personally do not make glass beads on the torch , I appreciate the skill involved and enjoy collecting beads from the visiting instructors I have had the privilege to meet. Leah brought a diverse selection of floral beads in almost every color pallet from pastels to deep rich tones . Presented with an assortment of brilliant and lush options what was I immediately attracted to? Why this vessels of amber wheat naturally. The golden stalks sit atop a vessel full of a blue gray color reaction with flecks of gold leaf sparkling in the light. Of all the beads Leah makes this may not be the most colorful or complicated but it was the one that was meant for me.

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5cm glass bead by Leah Fairbanks

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There's always a first time...

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11x7" Kilnformed and Coldworked Soda Lime Glass

Requests for commission pieces often come with a bit of a twist, asking for something just a little bit different then you are doing now or have done before. This particular request was for a platter to be used with both a candle and an incense stick. I've drilled many a hole in glass but never specifically to hold an incense stick. This was a first. The client in this case provided specifics for function and relative size. I had observed them admire two separate pieces, see below, prior to making their request. From this I pulled the design elements including; the color pallet of cool greens, grays and whites; the hammered satin finish; and  lose comfortable pattern. In my view, this piece would  need to not just preform the function of holding up the incense but also contribute to the desired state of relaxation. I hope I achieved that.

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