Holiday Show - Today & Tomorrow

Say Si - Small Scale Work for a Larger Cause 2015

Tonight is Say Si's annual Small Scale Work for a Larger Cause art auction where proceeds  benefit the multidisciplinary arts program that Say Si provides locals youth to help them develop artistic, social and leadership skills. If you can't make the auction in person check out the online gallery at http://www.saysi.org/small-scale-artwork-slideshow/ or on flicker

All Packed Up

All packed up from my last show of the year. Apart from the name, I don't understand why people think these little mini coppers are so small. I loaded two 6-foot tables (yes they fold in half), table risers, five (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) containers full of fused glass and displays, a laundry basket full of crocheted scarves and a 22" in bowl. All this and I had room to spare.

Blessed Sacrament CYO Craft Fair

Thank goodness for indoor craft fairs on a rainy fall Saturday like today. All set up the show at Blessed Sacrament. Cross you fingers for me people still come out on this gray day.

Untamed Show Opening

Join us for the opening reception of Untamed, a juried glass exhibition sponsored by the San Antonio Glass Art Guild and the Bulverde Area Art Center, this Friday from 5:30-8:00pm. Hope to see you there.

Untamed - Glass Exhinition

Untamed

a juried glass exhibition 

sponsored by the San Antonio Glass  Art Guild

August 15 - September 20, 2014

at the Bulverde Area Art Center 

in downtown Bulverde, Texas

Opening Reception

August 15 from 6-8pm

 I am very excited to exhibit this series, titled Nested, for the first time as part of the San Antonio Glass Art Guild juried exhibition Untamed. These pieces include flameworked and kilnformed glass to form the nest and felted wool for the eggs. The inspiration behind this series came several years ago.

In June of 2009, while at a farmers market in Portland, Oregon I purchased a skein of hand spun wool. The fiber varied in thickness and color. It had character and I purchased it not knowing what it would become, only that I could and would make it into something wonderful. I carried this soft mass back to San Antonio as a prized possession. I would have to give it thought to determine the right use for this material. But before I could take action my nine month old puppy did. When I found her the once nicely wrapped ball of yarn was pulled apart, twisted and contorted, tied in knots and ripped in places. I immediately became angry, irate even. I grabbed the mass of fiber and sat down at the top of the stairs. Slowly I began to work out segments. It took well over an hour for me to unravel the mass of tangled threads, tying the broken ends and rewinding it back into a tight ball. As I did this my fingers worked apart the spider web like fabric. My anger slowed, my eyes and fingers focus and my mind flooded with memories.

It wasn't till 2011 that I finally did something with that ball of wool. And not till this year that the experience has finally come full circle in these glass and wool pieces. I look forward to making more and seeing how they evolve as yet even more time passes.

Nested (4) kilnformed glass and felted wool

Hope 1993 a work in progress

Sewing was one of those things my mom and I fought about. She tried patiently to teach me while I would rush, make mistakes and get frustrated. My mom would rip the seams, hand it back to me and ask me to do it again. I hated sewing. But like most things our mom’s make us do, like eating our vegetables, I was grateful later. Who would have thought I would be putting my basic sewing skills to use to finish one of my pieces for the She’s Got Issues show.

 

I knew what I wanted the finished pieces to look like, the figure mounted on mirrored glass and surrounded by quilted fabric. The cast glass sculpture was finished, now for the fabric portion of this project. I dusted off my mom’s sewing machine and read the manual to remember how to thread the machine. Using the machine for the quilted protion wasn’t too bad since it was just straight lines. Then I had to figure out how to make room for the glass to come through the quilted fabric. I made a pattern on newsprint, pined it to the quilt and did a simple slip stich straight through the pattern and fabric.  Once sewn I cut out the inner part of the pattern and removed the remaining pieces of paper. With the fabric complete, I mounted the relief sculpture to mirrored glass, apllied the fabric over the casting and framed the entire piece so it would hang from the wall.

 

The finished piece will be one of two pieces (Hope 1993 and Hope 2010) on display as part of She’s Got Issues at HighWire Arts from June 13-20.

She's Got Issues - Show Opening

As honored as I am to have been invited to participate in this show, I was a little nervous to drop-off my pieces. I had worked on them on and off for sometime and to be honest don't think I believed they would ever actually be finished.  The shows curator, Gail Stouffer, may have been wondering the same thing herself since, as is my nature, I procrastinated till the last minute to turn them in. These are not the typical jewelry or plates I leave with galleries to sell. These are pieces where I have something personal to say. There a part of my story, a representation of my own journey. And there lies the seed of my angst. Are they good enough? Will they be well received? Did I pack them well enough so they will be safe? But I still could have done more... These are thoughts that run through my head. I guess those are my own personal issues.

 

If you get a chance, please join me and the other artists for the show opening on Friday, June 13 between 6-10pm at High Wire Arts. The show will run from June 13 through the 20th. If you don't make it out you can see all the pieces in the show catalog.

 

Hope 2010

Soda Lime, Float and Recycled Glass

 

She's Got Issues

OLLU Best of the West 2014

 April 5, 2014 from 4:00-11:00 PM

Our Lady of the Lake University

Best of the West Fiesta Event

The San Antonio Glass Art Guild will be participating in Our Lady of the Lake's Best of the West Fiesta event Saturday, April 5, 2014. Fiesta is such a exciting time of year in San Antonio and this is a real community event that is fun for the whole family. I particularity enjoy the opportunity to return to my alma mater. The OLLU campus is a jewel on the city's west side.  Members of the San Antonio Glass Art guild will be facilitating a craft activity for kids of all ages. Five members, including myself, will have work available for display and sale. Come out eat, drink, enjoy the children's area and live performance. If you do be sure to stop by and say hello.

Tonight - SAY Si Silent Auction

Tonight is SAY Si's annual Small Scale Work for a Larger Cause Silent Auction. The event includes artwork from over 200 artists including myself and other local glass artists. You can view the items in the auction at saysi.org . It is quite the event regardless of if you decide to bid on artwork or not. If your looking for something to do in San Antonio tonight and want to support a really good cause you should check it out.

Spring Exhibit Comes to Close

The San Antonio Calligrapher's Guild Spring Exhibit at the Central Library will come to a close on March 28th. If you are in downtown San Antonio this week, pop into the enchilada red main library building. The building it self is quite a site. The Spring Exhibit is on the ground floor in the gallery. Directly above the gallery the Fiesta Tower by Dale Chihuly is installed to commemorate the library systems 100th anniversary. From the gallery space you can look directly up to see it in it's full state.

2014 Say Si Small Scale Works for a Larger Cause

Kilnformed Soda Lime Glass

& Sandblasted Mirrored Glass
 

This piece is being included in the 2014 Small Scale Works for a Larger Cause an exhibit and silent auction benefiting Say Si. Celebrating 20 years of service to San Antonio's youth, Say Si is a premiere youth arts organization. Small Scale Work for a Larger Cause is a fundraiser that benefits the effort this organization makes to reach middle and high school age students in San Antonio. All the money raised goes to Say Si's student programming. The event begins on Thursday, March 6 with a preview  party and concludes on Friday, March 21 with a silent auction. For more information on these events visit http://www.saysi.org/small-scale-2014/.

Red Hot was created in the middle of a hot south Texas summer. It started as a lino block which was cut and printed onto refractory material. That refractory material was also cut and then used to melt the glass into in a kiln reach temperatures of approximately 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. The kilncarved piece was mounted onto a piece of mirrored glass which was sandblasted to add additional commentary (in case it wasn't clear enough) as well as to enhance the luminosity of the piece. After an exceptionally cold winter this piece seems a fitting reminder of what we have ahead of us soon enough.

San Antonio Calligraphers' Guild 2014 Spring Exhibit

San Antonio Calligrapher's Guild (SACG) is having their Spring Exhibit at the San Antonio Main Library. The opening reception is Sunday, March 2 from 12- 4PM. The Exhibit will be on display through March 28. There are 39 works from different artists on display, two of which are mine. Both of my pieces are ink on paper so I'm really stepping outside my comfort zone. Come to think of it, I have been a member of SACG for a decade or so, entered a number of exhibits and these are my first pieces not on/in glass.

Tis the Season for Jewels

 

 

Artisans at Rocky Hill presents Tis the Season for Jewels

Trunk Show and Demonstrations
Friday, December 6th from 11:00am - 6:00pm

I am excited to be one of five artists participating  in Artisans'  Tis the Season for Jewels trunk show and demonstrations during First Friday Art Walk Fredericksburg. The gallery will have unique gift wrapping available for jewelry to help create an exceptional gift for someone special. This is a great opportunity to pick up some unique handcrafted holiday gifts. The celebration begins on Friday, December 6, at 11:00am and will close at 6:00pm so that everyone can enjoy the holiday parade on Main Street.

Please join us at

Artisan’s of Rocky Hill

234 W. Main Street
Fredericksburg, Texas
For more information contact (830) 990-8160
or visit www.artisansatrockyhill.com

Bulverde Area Arts Center - Holiday Show

Silver Leaf 2 piece set - kilnformed soda lime glass and mica

I am excited to be participating in 2013 the Bulverde Area Arts Center Holiday Show. I have several glass plates as well as a lovely necklace all in winter inspired iridecient blues, silver, white and grays. Opening night is Friday, November 29th from 6-9 PM and coincides with the Bulverde "Light Up". What a great way to start the holiday season!

A Day at the Y O Ranch

Out the back of my little green machine Chevy S10 as I left the Y O Ranch



Late last week I received a last minute invitation to come offer my glass jewlrey and art work at the 2013 Y O Ranch exotic game sale. I always love a good drive into the Texas Hill Country and this one ended in 8 miles of unpaved road on the ranch itself. I can't remember the last time I was at a livestock auction and this one was full of beautiful exotic animals. It was an intersting way to spend the day on this historic Texas landmark.

ART281 - 2013

Texas Heat

  

 

I recently received news that several of my pieces have been excepted into Texas Heat a juried glass exhibition. The show is sponsored by the San Antonio Glass Art Guild. Works will be displayed at the Bulverde Area Art Center from September 6 through October 4, 2013. An opening reception will be held Friday, September 6 from 6-9 pm and is open to the public. This should be one hot show.

 

 Texas Heat Opening Reception

Friday, September 6 from 6-9pm

 Bulverde Area Art Center (BAAC)
2355 Bulverde Rd. #9
Bulverde, TX 78163

ART281

I recently signed up to participate in my 5^th ART281 event. Sponsored by the San Antonio Glass Art Guild, Art281 is a juried showcase for hand-made art and fine craft of all mediums.  Located at My Place Bar & Grille in Bulverde, Texas, the event is ideally situated on Hwy 281 North between San Antonio and Bulverde, in the foothills of the beautiful Texas Hill Country. There are still indoor and outdoor spaces available but you must sign up quickly to be included in the event show book. For more information visit www.art281.com.

Save the Date: Saturday, October 12, 2013 from 10:00am - 5:00pm