A Transformed Treasure ~ in progress...

Transformed Treasures

 is a fundraiser for the Anchorage Salvation Army.

Artists are invited to participate &

provided $50 in vouchers to shop at a number of the

local Salvation Army Stores.

Then the treasure hunt begins as you shop

until you drop trying to find a cast off item that you're able to

transform into a treasure...and then donate it back to the Salvation Army

for their annual luncheon event later this spring.

Here's one of my treasures!

A sweet little table with a black rod iron base (it folds flat)

with a large round glass top. 

The top is in perfect condition ~

no chips or scratches so it saves me a fire polishing in the kiln.

I used $25 in vouchers.

I'm going to use glass enamels & paint a botanical design on the glass.

You can see my sketch on the paper under the glass.  I have to have some sort of

pattern for overall placement or else I get distracted & who knows what I'd end up

painting or what it'd look like in the end.

Here's the beginning!

The Between Time ~

I love the "between time."

The relative emptiness of the days between

Christmas (Solstice) & New Year's.

There's sort of a timeless space

were everything slows down.

Not much is happening.

I find time for a nap, reading a good book,

playing on the floor with my child,

nibbling & drinking wine during the day.

Things slow down...

but I feel the building of things to come.

There are forces gaining momentum for a new beginning.

I've so enjoyed the holiday but as

Stephen King says...

"Talent is cheaper than table salt.

What separates the talented individual from the

successful one is a lot of hard work."

Got a lot of hard work to do this next year

& time to sleep when I'm dead!

Glass Puzzle ~

Often, when I'm working on a large glass piece for a home installation

I start with a couple of color palates & then make up sample pieces.

It gives the homeowner & myself an idea of how the glass colors will look

in the home.  Light, both artificial & natural, is of utmost importance.

There's lots of variables such the wall color  (which is easy to change),

the natural light (not so easy to change) &

artificial light within the space (a possible

option to change) & how all of these things interact

with the glass.

These are left over pieces from a bathroom tub & vanity surround.

They are all 2 layers of 3mm glass which after fusing are 1/4" thick.

Some of these were cut down into strips & other patterns to create a

variety of sizes, patterns & shapes.

The tub & vanity glass has a specific pattern

(photos on that to follow). 

                   

There's a base piece of 3mm Tetka glass (24" X 48")

& the beginning of the layout on top. 

It's a bit like putting a puzzle together ~ trying to fit

pieces together & coordinate colors for an abstract look. 

These are thin strips that were cut off the edge of larger tiles.

Here's the thin strips used as fillers for a more random feel.

Here's the beginning of a big project.

Story Boards in Fused Glass

 This is really a post about recycling Bullseye.

Bullseye glass is my favorite glass to work with for fusing & other glass processes.  I order glass by the hundreds & thousands of pounds & everything arrives carefully packed between layers of paper in wooden crates.  As a result I have lots of paper, wood, screws from the crates, shredded packing paper & more!

One new thing I played around with during the holidays was creating "story boards."  I've made these before but decided I'd recycle the wood from the Bullseye crates.  First disassembling the crates, cutting the boards in strips, painting the strips of wood & problem solving a hanger or hanger slot for the back.  I still haven't worked that out so if anyone has any ideas please post a comment.  I thought about using a Dremel with a router bit? 

Think that would work all you wood-working experts?

Here's a close up of one "page" on the story board.

Here's the basic idea of the story board wall plaques.  These are small but I like to work bigger using a whole board from the crate.  They look nice hung in groupings.  These of course have Alaskana images on them as I'm comtemplating the Alaska Gift Show that's coming up this next weekend.  I think these are still in the idea phase & not polished enough for wholesale/resale market but maybe next year?

Milleforie Revisited ~

When an artist works in glass the

techniques & possibilities are endless!

People always ask me about "stained glass" or label "fused  glass" (kiln-fired) as "stained glass."  I've never done stained glass or really have a desire to do it.  I crack up when people say..."oh, you must have patience to do this..."   PATIENCE? 
 Ahhhh, that would be a big negatory people. 
My Mom's mantra to me as a child was...."patience, child, patience." 
I consider it my good karma to not be drawn to stained glass work.

I appreciate it ~ I just don't want to do it!!

 I originally worked in hot glass which is glass processes in the 2000 F (1093 Celsius) degree range which includes glass blowing & torch work.  Warm glass is in the 1000 to 1700 (537 - 926 Celsius) degree range.  Actually, anything up from room temperature is considered "warm".  Cold working glass includes stained glass & finishing techniques such as grinding, sanding, cutting, etc.  Often pieces are hot or warm worked ~ then cold worked & then fire polished....which typically means putting it back in the kiln & "warming" the little sucker back up to about 1000 degrees to smooth & make the edges shiny. 

OK ~ a little background. 
Since I used to work exclusive in hot glass I'm pretty comfortable around torches & furnaces.  I used to make lots of beads & then as I got into fusing made lots of component parts on the torch for my fusing & glass blowing.  I love to make murrini & do mini roll-ups.  It's like quilting...making all the component parts, re-cutting & combining to make more complex & intricate pieces that give the "wow" factor in your art.

One technique on the torch is to "pull cane" or build "milleforie."  There's ways to do it in fusing.  One technique is the "rod pod." 

Here's a picture of the "rod pod"  mold. 

A mold is a bisque form layered with glass wash to form warm glass.

Here's a side view. 

 It looks like little troughs that you fill with glass & then fuse together into rods & then the rods are cut cross section.  Each little cross section are their own little art piece & these can be built together into larger more complex pieces.

Here's an example of torch worked milleforie.  Many people recognize "milleforie" as an Italian word.  It means "many flowers" & in reality is just a technique for layering glass.  It's not strictly a technique owned by Italian glass workers. 

The Italian's have just popularized it & made it recognizable.



Here's how to do it in the rod pod. 

 I usually cut some lengths of glass ~ rods & stringers in about 6 inch lengths.  This length fits in my rod pod & if I don't like the combination I don't have hundreds of chips to use.

Quick shot of a rod in the center with 1mm stringers around the rod & then a layer of larger 2mm rods.  I tape them in place using this "satin" finish tape.  It disappears during the firing.

(that's worth a post in & of it's self ~ note to self)

Here's the roll up in the rod pod...taped up like a mummy!

Four different colored rods taped together.  After taking this photo I noticed ~ for the first time ~ that one of the rods has a blue center!   Geez.....what a loser I am!

That's important as it adds another dimension to the finished piece. 

Here's a few roll ups in the rod pod fired at 1400 degrees Fahrenheit.  They are

 ...just.... starting ....to ....stick... together ...

but there's still lots of distinction. 

 I was worried that if I tried to cut them apart they would break into pieces....so...

 

Here they are fired at 1425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Melted together but still good color distinction.

The following are three separate pieces that were created from milleforie.

FLOWERS

 

STARS

My Favorite ~ CIRCLES.

Today's the 17th ~ Bring on the Good Luck!

Winter Solstice aproaches & in anticipation here's a little astrology update. There's a lot happening this time of year as we head toward the shortest day of the year & then turn back toward the sun.

As the Sun takes a stroll first with Jupiter on the 16th and then Uranus on the 18th, the good luck you'll experience will be nothing short of a universal gift, especially after some of the more challenging experiences of late.

Jupiter represents luck and growth, while Uranus has to do with individuality, inventiveness and the unexpected. When the Sun enters the mix, these qualities come out in full force. Between the 16th and the 18th, you can expect your luck to change, but because of Uranus' love of surprise, this will be an instance where you won't have much control over the lucky breaks that come your way. Instead, they'll just fall right in your lap!

That doesn't mean there's nothing you can do to make a good situation even better! In this case, your task will have more to do with keeping things in check and making sure nothing gets out of hand. The expansion that Jupiter brings is good up to a point, but don't forget that too much of a good thing is possible. When an exciting opportunity presents itself to you, don't hesitate to grab it, just make sure you do so with a bit of caution. Take care to enter into any situation with your eyes wide open and aware of any issues that may arise later.

One other transit occurring at this time to take note of will be retrograde Mercury travelling backward into Sagittarius on the 18th. Fiery Sagittarius is full of opinions, and with Mercury residing there until the 13th of January, you'll find yourself eager to share your own thoughts and ideas with everyone in earshot. This would be an ideal opportunity to promote some of the causes and charities that are most important to you, and just in time for the holidays.

ARTS EMPORIUM ~

Please join me this weekend for the

Arts & Crafts Emporium

at the De'naina Convention Center in

Downtown Anchorage, Alaska!

The show hours are Saturday 10 am to 6 pm & Sunday 11 am to 5 pm.

I'll be showing current work including the new red "Magic 8 Ball" platters, sterling & dichroic set rings, dinnerware, jewelry, ornaments, & more! Something for everyone on your holiday list!

Please stop bye & say "hello!"

Treasure!!

My box of Treasure arrived in the mail yesterday from Kim at Numinosity!

It was amazing how much she stuffed into a little box! Lots of cool vintage envelopes, an old 45 record (T'was the Night Before Christmas), a "Bid Recorder" that William is desperate to have, green & white checked cards (maybe from a game?) & a sweet little decoupage' box......filled with....More Treasure!!!

Here's what was inside the boy box.

A little card with the word "Prize." Also, little tart tins, an enamel buckle, glass discs & milleforie pieces, a metal piece with the word "SOLACE" stamped in the center, and some of Kim's hand made beautiful BEADS!!

Yeah! Lucky Me!!!!

Here's a shot of Kim's beads. Each one is different & unique.

These are bound for something special....

Thanks again Kim!! It was a very special give away!

Accordion Monday!

The amazing Monsters of Accordion

are on tour this December!

(click the link for tour dates & location)

If you're in Anchorage tonight

join us for the Anchorage Accordion Club gathering!

6 to 8 pm at ASE on Brayton Drive.

Click on the "Monsters" link above to

see & hear Kong play the box!

I just may need a shopping / accordion trip

to Seattle on December 15th!!

I'm A Winner!!

Yeah!

I'm a winner at Kim Roger's Numinosity Blog!

I've never won anything on-line before....

except when I got that email from an exiled

African Princess wanting to deposit 2 Mill in my checking account!

Woo-hoo...!

Anyway, thanks Kim!

I'm looking forward to my treasures.

If you need some inspiration head over to her

wonderful blog filled with creative ideas!

Fall Is In The Air

Fall is in the air!

Cold & brisk in the morning with sunny warm afternoons!

I love the fall. I think it's the memory.

Memory of starting school in the fall.

The excitement of everything new. New clothes, \

new supplies (new paper & crayons still give me a thrill),

new experiences, & new friends!

The cool mornings walking quietly on the sidewalk and thinking.

I guess I was always a thinker & the time walking to school was my meditation.

Quiet time alone is a gift & something so precious & valuable.

If given a choice between a party & being home alone I'd always choose to be home...cooking, eating, working in the studio.

My "little grey cells" are revisiting these experiences through my son.

He's started kindergarten. (sob!)

(I won't go into the whole gory story of the Charter School &

Optional School issues in Anchorage but it's a nightmare &

worthy of another post or letter to the editor)

And we walk to school almost every morning.

Quietly

Talking

Singing

Saying rhymes

It's my meditation

It's a special time to walk with your child & reflect on meaningful things,

These are the things I hope I always remember ~ even if I have Alzheimer's.

As we walk....we talk.

And we collect.

We collect little memories for our table altar.

Little do-dads like leaves, rose hips, pine cones, a rock, a dead worm, rain, a stray candy wrapper, a weed, a dried flower blossom, grass... you get the idea.

All these items lead to discussion. "Why is the rain gone???"

"Let's have a burial for the worm"

"why would someone throw a wrapper on the earth?"

We are not lacking for dinner conversation at our house!

Lighten Up!

We've had a summer that felt like fall & now a fall that is feeling like summer!

Beautiful sunny & warm days.

It's a trick...fall is coming but that's OK it's my favorite season.

So in honor of a beautiful fall here's a few new

candle holders in warm colors to bring on the light!

So lighten up & embrace the change!

Bubbles in Glass

Bubbles naturally occur in art glass. It's one of the ways that you can tell

you're purchasing art glass versus a

lower grade of glass such as float or pressed glass.

Although recycled glass is really in vogue & people always ask if

I use recycled glass it sort of makes me chuckle

because the quality is so low & it's hard to work.

Recycled glass is often not even compatible with itself

so the result is cracking, haze,

and generally poor results.

Sometimes, however, an artist might want to create

bubbles within a glass piece.

If you're "painting" with glass & want to make some bubbles

in the sky or water areas of your piece the effects can be cool!

Here's a couple of examples ~ or rather poor examples!

I just threw these into the kiln on a full fuse to see what happened.

The glass piece on the left has Borax sprinkled between the glass layers & the sample on the right has baking soda sprinkled between the layers. The baking soda really bubbled up & the glass was stretched very thin while the borax didn't really react at all. Go figure??

I think I'll keep experimenting because I want to use this effect in some new pieces I'm painting up. Anyone out there have experience with making bubbles? Tell me your techniques!

Hatcher Pass & Independence Mine ~ Alaska

This summer is in the top 5 of rainiest summers on record!

I think it's rained everyday. Not all day but everyday!

So....what do you do? Stay home & watch movies? Not if you're an Alaskan!

You gear up & get outside.

It's summer time in Alaska after all!!

I've been to Hatcher Pass many times in the last 25 or more years but I hadn't been there in probably 5 years & it has changed. It's become very civilized.

There are benches, paved pathways, safety guards, little information signs all over explaining the history of the mine & even port-o-potties! Wow!

Many of the out buildings used to look like this but are now being restored.
The main building were intact but have been spruced up. We were there on a Sunday but the main building wasn't open(?) I wonder why on a weekend there wasn't a park service person or volunteer available? Just curious ~ probably cutbacks in someones budget.



You can see how spread out some of the buildings are ~ can you imagine trying to get around here in the depth of winter? "Depth" being the operative word as there's so much snow here that the road often is closed.

These were the main lodging halls for the men who worked the mines.


A tram system circulated the mines run by electricity up until the mine closed in the 1940's.

A bird's eye view from a trail above the main mine buildings.


Here's William standing in a refurbished mine shaft. The reflection is the tape on his Grunden rain bibs. Grunden's are the best rain gear!

It was a good day in the mines!

Denali Park ~ Part 2

More pictures from Denali Park.

William hiking at Riley Creek.

Building a fishing rod from a tree branch.

Kicking back at the camp site.

An abandoned "Igloo" motel along the Parks highway.
Here's a close up...what a weird sight!

Denali!

The mountain was out in all her glory.