New Processes, New Work

I purchased a new tutorial by Komal C. Prassad for a fusing process - Controlled Gaps that I have wanted to learn for the last few years. Honestly, there are a bunch of processes/techniques that I want to try. My love of learning new things keeps me learning new things. It keeps my life interesting in these pandemic times.

This dish is the result of the new tutorial - 

I really like the result and have another (same process, different design) dish slumping in the kiln today.

I have also been playing around with a electroforming. I have always loved the look of electroforming when combined with beads and glass and I recently took an electroforming class from Terry Henry via Facebook. She makes the best electroformed bugs/animals with glass parts.

I'm just getting started. I have some objects that didn't work, a few that have worked, and some still in the bath. This was a leaf that I picked up on a walk this week. The small bit of glass is a headpin that I made a while ago. The headpin is now electroformed onto the leaf. I still need to figure out finishing my objects with a patina to better show the texture, but that will come.

I took a class last month at the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass in Neenah, WI where I worked with Deanna Clayton to make a pate de verre, also known as paste glass, bowl. Deanna Clayton fused the bowls and finished them after they were created in the class. The finished bowl has an electroformed rim. Very cool.

Another project I finished recently was some knobs for my bathroom. The bathroom was done being remodeled years ago and the cabinets needed knobs. I finally created knobs that I am happy with and got them installed.

Keeping the kilns warm,

~ Julie

Staying warm

Wisconsin is cold and full of snow. Our last snow storm almost buried this garden art. 

I tend to create with flowers and colorful glass when the landscape outside gets bleak.

This is a bowl or bird bath in the kiln ready to fire.

I have been playing with Bullseye reactive glass. There are only two colors of glass, but when they are fused together they have a reaction that gives the darker outlines and a third color.

This is a small 8x8 plate. Lovely.

I have been working with lampworked flowers and creating them into hangable wall art. I thought a nice bee would be a great addition. This bee is my first attempt. It needs work, but I was proud of it.

A few of my lampworked flowers that will either become magnets or pins.

~ Julie

win some, lose some

Well the new concept in a garden stake has proven to be a bit of a challenge. A challenge in the form a few large bubbles. . . . I like the idea so I tried again -

My new design was a mosaic, fun color panel.

After firing - I realized that I didn't secure the copper edge pieces properly for a full-fuse.

(notice the lower right corner) 

~darn

I like this idea - hence the next piece - 

I hope I have better luck fusing this one.

:-)

I did take some left-over glass and make this nice bowl.

(same bowl in both photos - different angle)

Win some - Lose some.

That's the story today.

~ Julz

More garden stakes

Daisies are one of my favorite flowers.

My iris are blooming.

Here they are on my work bench. I need to get them framed with their copper this weekend.

I have moved on this morning and actually have a bowl in the kiln, but I have stayed w/ the flower theme.

:-)

Have a grand Memorial Day and relaxing weekend. Please take a moment to remember those who have given and are giving now to allow us to live in freedom.

~ Julz

Bowl - first try

Okay - after my great expectations for this weekend - some were realized.

I was able to complete a number of projects in the last few days.



I unloaded my first bowl from my new mold this morning, but I am only at the beginning of this learning curve. I would call its shape - organic. In other words my 1st bowl is slightly wonky.
Okay maybe a bit more than slightly.

The glass that I created and slumped was too thick for this deep of a slump and/or my schedule was too aggressive for this mold. I will have to practice this one. I love my bowl, but I'm afraid I may be the only one.  (I do have a soft spot for wonky results. . . results that could never be sold and are one-of-a-kind blunders. . . ah, err marvelous treasures ;-)


Soldering never got done. I always found other things to do - laundry, wash the outside windows, cutting glass for this project -

I haven't gotten this one slumped yet, but I love the plaid results. This project was on Spectrum's website. It was mentioned on a glass discussion board that I read. I made a few changes & love the results. I don't even have this in the kiln slumping because I have a different project in the kiln tonight.

A friend has started a jewelry business and needed some glass trays to display her silver jewelry. She approached me and asked me to make her some trays - I didn't think I was ready, but after I thought about it - I decided to give it a try. I showed her this piece -

and I am in the process of creating & selling my first glass order. Oh happy day!

~Julz