Five Pointed Star Book

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The first weekend of December the ladies from Book Art Babes held a fun two day workshop. Here is one of the four books taught that weekend, the Star Book.
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Once I got past the tiny bit of math involved the process was rather straight forward. I look forward to making more of these accordion style books. I already have an idea or two rattling around in my head. I just love how graphic and sculptural this little book can be. Closed the book measures just 4.25 x 6.25 x.75 inches but open it stretches up to 2.5 feet.
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Above Left: front/outside pages of star
Above Right: back/inside of star
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Handmade Holiday Gift Tags

Dressed with a silver bow, a bit of ribbon,

a glass ornament and my

4x2" kilnformed and copper foiled ornament
this gift looks almost as special as the individual it is for.

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A special gift deserves as special tag. As I am wrapping a few gifts for family and friends I decided to reach for the ornaments I had finished just in time for the Pearl Brewery Artist Market. Although they sold well, I inevitable still have a few just perfect for that special gift. Once the gift is unwrapped this lovely little ornament can continue a long life year after year on the Christmas Tree. Made with the glass from picture frames, after a light application of glass powder in the kiln, they were put together using very traditional stain glass techniques of copper foil/solder.
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Inspire Me Thrusday - Tree

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The above photographs are sections of two 11.5 x 15" framed pieces containing relief prints made using gold Hanovia ink on soda lime kilnformed and torchworked glass. Devoid of leaves this tree's naked structure lies exposed to winter's elements. The leaves which once generated nourishment will later provide a different kind sustenance in the rich black earth they create. One does not exist without the other and yet independently both the tree and the leaves hold thier own beauty.
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Wings

No bird soars to high,

if he soars with his own wings

-William Blake
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4x6" Linoleum Block Print

I have played a bit recently with some very simple linoleum block prints, like the one above and the chair posted on September 9th. As with any new interest, I looked to a book for a little guidance. Simple Printmaking by Gwen Diehn provided a good high level introduction to making relief prints.

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Peace

photo of a brick wall taken in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania July 2009

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As my brother leaves for yet another tour in Iraq, I consider all the of the time, money and many impacts cause by these struggles. Would it not be so much easier if we could all direct this energy, in actions small and large, toward the purpose of peace. It could not possibly be any more difficult to love, respect or at least tolerate, then it is to hate. And if we all were to view the world from this perspective, could we not find resolutions to avoid violence. For if violence is what got us here, it can not possibly be the sole solution. Peace is not just the result. It is the way of life for each of us to embrace daily. Let peace be your inspiration, not just Thursday but everyday.

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Mad For Plaid

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It seems like this fall everyone is just mad for plaid. Although typically I am not one follow trends, this one was hard for even me to miss. All this talk of tartan patterns reminded me of a simple and fun way to achieve this same crisscross effect in glass. So here it is, a 4x4" glass sushi plate, perfect as coaster for a glass of scotch or small appetizer plate.

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Spanish/English Flash Card

Print from a linolium carving

My mother gave me a valuable gift when she decided she was going to not just encourage but require me to speak Spanish at home. In a family where Spanish was the first language of both my parents, it was a natural and easy skill for me to acquire. Her true dedication and discipline became evident when she decided I needed to learn to read and write in Spanish as well. So in the evenings and on summer vacations my mother would sit me down to learn the alphabet phonetically, review flash cards and read books aloud. At the time I thought it was a cruel type of punishment. Now I see it for the priceless gift it was. Quality time alone with my mother, the opportunity to connect with family and friends old and new, and a wider/deeper perspective on the world we are all part of what I found in those flash cards.
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Mi mama me dio un regalo valioso cuando decido a requerir me que hable español en el casa. En una familia donde la primera idioma de mis padres era español, era una habilidad natural y fácil aprended español. Su esmero y disciplina llegaron a ser evidentes cuando ella decido que también necesitaba aprender a leer y escribir en español. Por las tardes y las vacaciones del verano mi mama se centava con migo para enseñad me el alfabeto fonético, trabajar con tarjetas de destello y leyó libros en voz alta. En esos tempos yo pensé que era un castigo. Ahora lo veo para el regalo que era. El tiempo de calidad solamente con mi mama, la oportunidad poded hablad con familia y amigos viejos y nuevos, y una perspectiva más amplia/más profunda del mundo eran toda parte de lo que encontré en esas tarjetas.

Still Waters

While on my visit to Washington in June, I took these photographs of the reflection of the trees and sky off the still waters of Blue Lake using using my Canon Rebel EOS. I just loved the painterly qualities the scene takes from the slight distortion of the waters reflection.

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The Art of Family

The opening for the current show at the SAVA gallery, at Rivercenter Mall, is tonight from 6-8pm.The theme of this exhibit is the “Art of Family” in honor of Mother's day. The show includes some really inspired and unique pieces representing various generations of family members. I was particularly surprised and honored when SAVA's President Shirlene dedicated the show my mother, Ana Vachier, who is participating with me posthumously.
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Family Tree, 2009

16 1/2 x 23 1/2" framed

torch-worked and kiln-formed soda lime glass

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The design element which is the foundation for this piece was created by my mother originally as a piece of filigree crochet. Although not visible in the photograph, behind the glass in the top of the piece are exerts from devotional journals in her own hand.

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Evoke Gallery Spring Show

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A few of my pieces recently arrived in St. Paul, Minnesota for the Evoke Gallery's Spring Show. The pieces include functional items like the vibrant Sushi plates below, as well , display pieces like the ones I first posted as a response to an Inspire Me Thursday Challenge on Lace several weeks ago. This exhibit will be on display during St. Paul's Spring Art Crawl and through April 26.
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Illuminati

“Don’t tell me the moon is shining;

show me the glint of light on broken glass.”
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Anton Chekhov

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The two peices below were accepted into the SAVA Gallery show Illuminati, currated by Laurel Gibson to work in conjuction with the San Antonio Citywide festivities for Luminaria. The show opening will be the evening of Tuesday, March 3rd and it will run throughout the month of March.

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Above Left: Inspired by Chekhov's qoute above this is a 12 3/4" in diameter Kilncarved refleif. You can learn more about what promted me to make this peice from this previous entry.
Above Right: 6" Kilnformed footed bowl made with iridized glass
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Fused Silver

Typically if I am fusing anything it's glass. However in response to last weeks Inspire Me Thursday Challenge I am, belatedly, posting these Fused Fine Silver earrings and pendent. The Fine Silver wire was fused and hammered. The pendent includes a small dichroic glass cabochon soldered in place. I had a great time making these with a good friend, who I must admit did the soldering part for me. Thanks Gail...

Glass Lace

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A piece of paper lace was used as a screen over which I sifted powdered glass to develop the floral pattern on this piece. Once the lace was removed images appeared on the dense white glass canvas. It can be just that simple.

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From simple techniques like this one to others much more complex, glass powders offer flexibility not available with sheet glass alone, it’s the power of powders. I'm excited at the fast approaching opportunity to share techniques that can be use to create imagery, depth, and drama with the students at Wired Designs Studio. During a three part series students will learn to create Powder Wafers for small and large projects, and explore Intaglio carving through layers of powder. The class is just a couple of weeks away and filling fast. I can’t wait for this chance to explore further the power of powders.
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Fused Glass - a First and Second Time

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I can be a real klutz sometimes but this was definitely not my fault. Having completed a series of 15x15" fused glass pannels installed in rod iron frames in a clients home, I was feeling pretty good. The client seemed to like them. I was even content with the pieces and how they looked in the space. It was at this moment of self-elevated accomplishment that I turned my back. It only took a split second for it to all come crashing down. The glass must have been suicidal because it threw itself down onto a tile floor. Ahh... Humbleville. What had arrived carefully packaged in bubble wrap was now leaving in trash can. But I wasn't about to actually throw it away...

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One of the beauties of fusing glass is it can almost always be given a whole new life. This 9" square sushi and 6" clock was created with the shards of that broken panel. After all, don't we all deserve a second chance.

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The White Elephant in the Room

When teaching or giving tours it has generally been my practice to acknowledge the "white elephant" in the room in order to move past it more quickly. Yet for the past three weeks I have been doing the contrary wearing long sleeve shirts and keeping my hand close to my side. Maybe I should have just made a sign to hand around my neck that said, "yes I did it working with glass". That seems to be the first question anyone asks me these past few weeks. You see just before the Holidays I had a little accident. A rod of glass popped in my hand and cut my right index finger. Not the first time I've been cut and certainly not the last. Unfortunately this cut was sever enough to damage the nerve, so the doctor has seen fit to immobilize my dominant hand with a full cast while this 1/4" cut heals. It all sounds rather silly. So much drama for just a little cut. But why am I telling you this story...

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Well with my right hand temporally out of commission there has not been a whole lot I can do, so I have been catching up on my reading. For several months I had been sitting on a book loaned to me by another glass artist and friend. The book was Paul Stankard's No Green Berries or Leaves The Creative Journey of an Artist in Glass. I had started it several times before and not made it very far. I was still gaging my own interest when I came to a section where he described an accident very similar to the one I was currently undergoing. At that point I was hooked. The author/artist tells you about himself and his experiences so openly just about anyone would be able to relate is some way or fashion. My interest peeked, I finished the book in just a few hours after staring at it for months. So often we don't hear about the life of great artists till they are gone and seldom from their own mouths. In telling his story Paul Stankard has offered encouragement, set forth a wonderful example and documented an important time frame in this history of glass. I walked away from this book inspired.

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Kiln Carving

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The images of these butterflies were carved out of this smokey gray transparent glass not with a chisel but using the aid of a kiln to control the time and temperature the glass was exposed to. As the glass softens it can pick up the shapes which I have carved from fiber paper/board and transfer those impressions into the glass. A technique often referred to as kiln carving. This skill enables all kinds of design possibilities. I used this technique to create the items I referred to in my posting back in September of 2007.

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Although not an overly complex technique there are some important factors to consider in order to be successful. For this reason I teach a 1-day workshop on kiln carving at Wire Designs Studio. The next class is scheduled for November 2nd and there are still a few spots available. If this is something that interests you, please contact Wired Designs Studio at (210) 495-4495 to reserve your spot.

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Not Just Black & White

Last week Inspire Me Thursday suggested we take inspiration from our wardrobe. I've seen artists pull color pallets from scarves or pattern ideas from fabric. When I took a look in my closest it seemed it was my wardrobe that could take a little inspiration from my art work. So I worked this challenge in reverse. This is what I came up with.

This black, white and red A-symmetrical necklace was made using glass beads made by Nina "Sam" Hibler. It was strung with white jade, red coral, onyx and sterling silver. Shown here with one of my favorite sushi plates and a six in cast glass bowl.

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○ ● ○ Polka Dots ○ ● ○

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This cheerful little polka dotted sushi plate was made with a multitude of colors. Various bits of colored glass melted fully into the four inch square clear glass base. They where then cold worked for a smooth round edge and satin finish. Finally the piece was kiln formed into this gently slumped shape. Intended to be a fun and simple piece.

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Healing

July 10th Inspire Me Thursday posted a creative prompt on healing. It was very timely for me, as I have spent the last two weeks doing exactly that. So although I am quite late with a response please consider I have been focusing most of my time on the act of healing itself.

Acrylic on canvas - "It carries the weight so the other my heal"

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When one door closes...

Photo of St. Mary's Episcopal Church taken from Travis Park

San Antonio, Texas

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There is that old saying when one door closes another opens. Well, last July I bought an airline ticket to accompany friends to Los Vegas in celebration of one’s birthday. As the travel date approached the door began to swing shut. I had unwittingly committed myself to teach a workshop the same weekend and the class was full. Although I enjoyed teaching that weekend, I was disappointed I had missed the trip. I had no idea at the time that plan ticket would later take me on two separate journeys.

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One the first week in April to Glass Craft Expo in Los Vegas where I served as a technical assistant to Gail Stouffer who was teaching patter bars, pot melts and vitrograph. And another, which I am taking now, to Seattle to visit family and friends with a detour to Portland for a seminar at Bullseye Glass. One plane ticket turned into two separate opportunities. I seem to be a testament to that old adage. The door to the first trip had closed but with it another opened... and a window too.