Chugach Optional Elementary ~ Kids & Glass Project

Here's a sneak peek at the finished glass panels

created by the students at Chugach Optional Elementary.

 

 

They are color coded starting with Kindergarten (yellow)

through to the twelfth panel designed by the staff.

Each panel is approximately 15" X 20".

A total of 25 square feet of glass!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 I like the progression in complexity.

We will be celebrating the completion of this project this

Friday in the school library.

Our students artists & parents will be there to share & enjoy the exhibit.

A special performance by the school drumming group will also

"drum in" this student collaboration!

 

Progression of a Fused Glass Panel ~ Post Firing

Here's a few post firing shots of

"Garage Floor Flowers"

glass panel.

 

 

Post firing, I noticed that I forgot to put more of the striker yellow flowers

in the left quadrant & the upper mid-right area.

I guess I got my orange & yellow strikers mixed up ~
JUST what I warned the elementary students about

during my Artist in Residence gig.

 

I have a bunch of bugs that I cast in glass a while ago ~

maybe I should add them with ultra-violet light/glue?

 

Hmmm....more to think about between other jobs.

Back to the studio!

Progression of a Fused Glass Panel ~

 

I think I'm finished with the design & layout.

 

I added more fractures/confetti, stringer & layers of transparent glass.

 

It's in the kiln.

 

Big reveal tomorrow!!

 

The Progression of a Fused Glass Panel ~ Kids & Glass

Soooo....

It's spring break & I'm trying to plan activities for my 9 year old.

It's not all about "mine craft" & iTunes, bud!

 

It's also about keeping to the schedule of daily chores, practicing piano,

walking Cokie, & working on a few art projects with Mommy.

 

During the process of unpacking glass from my guest artist gig,

I dropped a pack of glass on the concrete floor of my studio.

Blah! 

 

OK ~ an opportunity arises for Will & I to create a glass panel from the spoils.

 

Here's a series of 10 photos of what we've worked on over the

last two days. I don't think we're done.

 

There's probably another post or two in this process?

 

 

Preliminary layout with a few broken pieces.

 

The clear, yellowy looking pieces are striker orange.

Meaning that they'll strike, or turn color, to a bright orange upon heating.

 

Adding a little more greenery.

 

William thinking.

 

Contemplating the design.

 

He likes to move pieces around & re-design.

 

I tend to look at the overall design, take pictures on my iphone, visualize it in my mind

& then move everything around in one swoop.

 

William's design method... move everything around, then back, then move it again,

move it again, and again, and again....BLAH!!!

 

Placing white under some transparents.

 

Adding greenery & accents.

 

Filling in.

 

More is better!

 

Getting close ~!

Artist in Residence ~ Kids & Glass ~ Samples & Prep

I've decided that I need to make a sample panel & fit it in the window space

at Chugach Optional Elementary.

 

I've measured all 12 of the window spaces & they all vary slightly.

This needs to be taken into account as well as the firing schedule.

Depending upon the number of layers of glass & the fusing temperature

the panels could expand & not fit the space.

 

 

Here's a full size mock up.

 

I'm going to fire this at 1400 degree Fahrenheit

which is a tack fuse with some rounding of edges.

I use Denver Glass Machinery Kilns & supposedly they run hot

(I've read this on warm glass bulletin board)

so glass schedules always need to be adjusted.

 

 

 

I've made some accessory glass components:

milleforie in the rod pod (above).

 

 

Chopped them up!

 

Here's a close up.

The student artists will also be combining glass strips & stringer

for the rod pod.  I have a small kiln I'll be bringing to school so we can fire a few

components during the week & the older artists can chop them up.

I need to remember to bring goggles.

 

 

I'm planning on creating a bulletin board in the hallway outside the art room

so I'm making some samples to display such as stages of fusing at various temperatures.

Maybe I should make samples of glass stress / slumping at various temperatures?

I could probably spend a week with each class there's so much to cover so I guess I need to prioritize?  My expert art teacher/co-AIR, Eleanor is good at reining me in & helping me with simplifying the lesson for K-6.  She does it every week!

 

I have great handouts & a poster on reactive glasses from

 Bullseye Glass Company that I'm planning on displaying.

Throughout the week I'll take photos of the student artists working

and post those on the bulletin board so parents & visitors can see the process.

 

I've been researching & refreshing my memory on the minerals & elements

used in colored glass.  It's a very interesting read.

I want the students to gain an appreciation of the science, chemistry, & physics involved

in the art glass process.

 

 

Here's the piece post firing (1400 degrees F /18 min).

The edges are maybe a little too round.

I like the individual glass pieces "crispy."

 

We're using 4 striker colors. If you look at the pre & post fired piece you should be able to find them.  Each table will have containers with sorted colors & one container with the striker glass ~ a post fired piece is attached to remind the students what it will look like after firing.

I think that's the hardest part; visualizing in your mind what the color will like in relation to all the other colors that are stable.

 

There's sure to be some surprises!

 

I will need to consult with my cohort, Eleanor, on the texture.

Eleanor will be helping with the layout & design of the individual panels

as student artists complete their pieces.

 

We had at one time talked about creating the panels in a rainbow of color

but this became too cumbersome due to the number of students & time line.

 

So...I was thinking of color borders?

12 panels = 12 different color borders?

 

Here's a test strip of possibilities.

 

Got Glass?

Got Glass?

 

Yep ~ !

 

I've got almost 700 pounds of glass.

66 sheets of tetka.

 54 pounds of power & frit

& a bunch of misc "stuff" like stringer, confetti, & tip sheets.

 

 

Thanks Bullseye Glass Co!

 

This is a short post ~ I've got work to do!!

AIR ~ Kids & Glass (part 2)

As part of the Artist In Residence Program, I think it's important for students

to participate in a project for the greater good / community,

but it's also fun to make something to have as a remembrance.

 

So, how about each child makes a mini fused glass piece?

 

Magnets anyone?

 

Who doesn't love a magnet for the fridge or file cabinet?

 

This past weekend I had some time to clean up my cutting table

& prep 230 1X1" squares for the student artist's magnets.

 

 

Yes, I actually had enough clear glass scraps to cut up 230 1X1" squares.

The cutting table looks a little less messy now.

 

As part of the prep for the magnet process,

Eleanor (Artist/Art Teacher) & I had to problem solve how we're going to

keep track of 230 something magnets & get them all back to their creators.

 

YIKES!

 

Of course, Eleanor does this every week for art so she had a few ideas.

 

I prepped a kiln shelf with ThinFire from Bullseye Glass (see above on the right).

There's a second grid on the left.

Each student / Artist will place their finished magnet, ready for firing, on the grid

that's on the kiln shelf & will then write their name in the

corresponding grid space on the left.

 

No problem, right?

 Maybe for 2-6 graders. 

 

Kindergarteners & 1st graders?

It'll be a study in visual motor & visual perceptual skills in space.

 

Note to self....

"It might be good to have an adult there monitoring the names & placement?"

 

 

Magnets....300 mini but mighty magnets have been ordered & delivered.

 

Here's a few magnets from other projects I've done for pleasure & clients.

I always enjoy looking through the dozens of magnets I've made or been given.

 

Good memories!