Getting Homesick!

The hot weather has arrived here in Phoenix -- and, although Spring is dragging her heels back home, my thoughts are definitely turning there. After fun travels and great visitors... I am now back at work at the 'Barn'.  Finally, 'The Lure of the Siren' is nearly complete.  I will need to do some finishing touches later, but am leaving it for now.

 

 Those thoughts of home, the prairies and seasonal changes have inspired the next piece.  It is ready for the first firing...

 

Fingers crossed.....

 

Aspen Reflections

More work on the Aspen piece.  Added some frit... back in the kiln for a partial fuse. (oops pic is sideways)

 

Finally ready for the last stage... drape over a sconce mold so that it will be free standing in a lighted area.

 

ASPEN REFLECTIONS

 

Frit Painting

Time to move onto something new.... a frit painting.... which is created much like a water color, acrylic or oil painting -- only the medium this time is powdered or crushed glass.  I will attempt a landscape scene of an Aspen forest reflected in the still water of a lake.... Here goes....

Getting started with a clear piece of glass as the base.  I've cut some pieces to represent the sky peeking out of the background... the tops of some pine (or at least green) trees peeking above the aspens... some tree trunks and a bit of forest floor.  The rest of the piece will be assembled using only frit (crushed and powdered glass).


 

Now I am beginning to define the areas a bit more with the frit.
 



Now that the entire surface of the clear base is covered with colored frit, I will sprinkle a layer of clear powder, then a layer of clear fine frit to cover the entire piece.  This helps to keep the colors in place and adds another layer of glass.

 

Into the kiln for a full fuse... this is the result of the first firing... probably a couple more firings to go. Back to work I go.......

 

 

 





Unicorn and Maiden completed

Things don't always turn out the way your mind envisions it... or I should say the way MY mind envisions it.... A bit disappointed with this piece -- but will find a place for it in my gallery....

      

 

 

Ahhh! Finally at work at the ArtBarn

Weather is a bit cool here in Phoenix.  We need to use a heater in our studio!!! Not as cold as Winnipeg though!  It is great to be back at work here at the Art Barn.  I have brought the pieces of the work I had started BEFORE Christmas!!! and have finally got the Unicorn piece underway.  It's been a bit of slow-go -- as I am creating the background as I go (rather than making a pattern ahead of time).  I have fused the unicorn and the maiden.  The background will be done with stained glass - and the foil method.. .I have just started wrapping the pieces with foil -- must go and pick up some more glass for the final border.... hopefully tomorrow.  Here's what it looks like so far....

Purple Pelican Art Glass: Oh Dear, now what....

Purple Pelican Art Glass: Oh Dear, now what....: Here I am out of the kiln... my fear re bubbles has been allayed -- there are none.  However, I clearly overdid the 'pixie dust' (mica) --...

Oh Dear, now what....

Here I am out of the kiln... my fear re bubbles has been allayed -- there are none.  However, I clearly overdid the 'pixie dust' (mica) -- making for a grainy surface.  Also the idea of  detail coming through from the first layer didn't happen.  What to do with it now.... I could dust it with clear grit and throw it back in the kiln to create a smooth surface -- then add detail.... or.... I kind of like the flip side... maybe I can do something with that....

 

I will ponder this .....

       

Unicorn - next step

This unicorn is stretching me to risky experimentation!!  Evil horse!
I started by painting on some white sparkly pixie dust (mixed the frit with Klyr Fire as medium), then added some black highlights - which don't show up very well in the pic...  This will be sandwiched between the 2 layers of glass.  Danger here is that the pixie dust is a resist and the individual particles will only bond to glass it is in direct contact with -- soooo I'm hoping I don't get a lot of big bubbles...

The second layer of glass goes on top -- secured a bit with hair spray.  Now I've added fine and powdered grit (glass) to add some color and shading (hopefully).  I will throw it into the kiln for a full fuse and keep my fingers crossed...

   

Unicorns and Mermaids

Unicorns and Mermaids have been competing for my attention lately.  Why on earth am I drawn to these 2 mythical creatures???  Perhaps it is the alluring long-told, mythological stories that appeal to me.  The grain of truth that weaves through the myths... cave drawings of unicorns; tales of sailors... tweaks my imagination.  Perhaps it is that both of these creatures entice with great beauty and destroy with wrath.  The lovely siren of the sea charms the sailors to their death.  The unicorn entices with its beauty - but destroys with ferocity all who approach - except the virgin maiden.  I like the drama of the story...
So, now.... how to express in glass???
I'm starting with the Unicorn, though ideas for a mermaid piece keep rising to the surface...

I have created an image of a unicorn.... cut it out twice in clear glass.   I have a notion to combine stained glass techniques and glass fusing.  I want the unicorn to protrude somewhat from the surface of the piece and so will fuse the 2 layers.  I want the unicorn to be somewhat luminescent -- and, although I'm not certain how to accomplish this... I will play around with a couple of possibilities.  One is to paint "pixie dust" - fine glass powder - between the layers of clear glass; then add details atop the glass with frit and paint... The setting is still emerging in my mind.  I will foil the pieces for the background and solder them together...

Prairies are special
I have been pondering the vast beauty of our wonderful Canadian prairie.... the endless vistas, the colorful patchwork fields, the big skies --- and trying to capture that essence in glass.

Many attempts -- a variety of techniques (some successful; some disastrous) -- a few successes...

 

Time to stretch a bit

I recently got the latest issue of the online 'Fused Glass Projects Magazine'.  A contributor, Gil Reynolds, described a process to create what he calls 'flow bars' -- a glass bar with a pattern running through -- something like the spiral pattern inside a jelly roll.  Sounds intriguing -- so worth a try.  The process involves suspending a stack of glass atop a couple of stainless steel rods suspended above a 'box' to collect the liquid glass.

Once the fusing was complete (about 24 hours later), the 'brick' of glass was sliced into strips using a tile saw.  I trimmed the pieces to align evenly and placed them back in the kiln. Because glass wants to be 1/4 inch thick, I dammed the piece to preserve its shape.

Now, what to do with the piece.  I decided to make a dish.  I used a clear base and arranged the elements of the dish on top.  Back into the kiln.

I love the way the clear areas allows light through to highlight the other design elements.

The final step was to slump the piece in a shallow mood to complete the dish.

Well since this worked quite well, I thought I'd try a larger and thicker set up.  The initial fusing went well -- but I had a rather hard time cutting the strips afterward.  I have a few intact strips and many colorful pieces -- so my challenge now will be how to use them.....

Summer is coming to an end

First chance I've had to sit down and think about glass for awhile.  Kids are back at school -- gardens are littered with falling leaves (hiding all the weeds!) --- so it's time to get back to work.
One of the many highlights of my summer was seeing my grandchildren 'getting into' glass.  My little entrepreneurial granddaughter (8 years old) and her brother (6 years) have been busy making night lights -- which have been selling well in my studio and in a local gift shop.

Here are a couple of examples of their exceptional creativity.













A Prairie scene that I had in a Winnipeg gallery sold over the summer -- and I have been asked to make another for a customer that missed out.

It is quite similar to the first one as requested....

Beginning the background

Adding some detail to the background
-then into the kiln for a full fuse

The foreground is done
separately and full fused as well.

The fused background gets more detail and is fused again.

A clear layer is sandwiched between the background
and the foreground and is full fused.

Finally the piece is draped over a mold and fired once again.


I  was recently asked to create a small heart-shaped grandmother's pendant -- with birthstone (colored glass) pieces to  represent six grandchildren.  I have posted pictures on my website.  Check it out at www.purplepelicanartglass.com

Back at it!

It has been a long time since I last updated this blog -- with a good excuse.  Since returning home from my winter home, I have been madly preparing for an Open House in my studio -- and in a moment of pure insanity -- agreed to open my garden to a Tour.  Needless to say, I am suffering the arthritic consequence of too much weeding and cutting glass.
The actual event was a screaming success!  We hosted at least 350 people.  My children were here to help and my husband was very busy in the outdoor kitchen baking pizzas in the bake oven and serving wine to the guests.  My sister was the official wrapper and money handler.  My children acted as greeters and refreshment servers -- as well as creating a huge number of pizzas for dad to bake.  My granddaughter, Signy (8 years), is a budding entrepreneur and artist herself.  She set up a special stand to display and sell the fused glass night lights that she and her 6 year-old brother created.  They sold all 20 of them -- and even got an invitation from a local gift shop owner to display them in her shop!

Here are some pictures of the set up for the event.

Thank you everyone!