Lost it ? ? ?

It's been awhile.
I seem to have lost something in the last month.

I think the only way to find it again is to work with glass.
I hoped that the glass would just "come to me".

Obviously that didn't happen.

So . . .

This was my attempt yesterday.

Well - to be fair - this is not black, but transparent, dark amber. It didn't work.

I also experimented with some glassline paint that I purchased last spring and had never used.

This gave me some ideas, but nothing is completed yet.

Today - after my attempts yesterday w/ dark colors - I have some bright flowers in the kiln. Not sure where I am going with them, but I hope the color will inspire me.

My goal is to fire the kiln often this week.

I'll keep you posted.

~Julz

Keep trying . . .

I need to keep trying. Warm glass humbled me this week.
I was attempting ( key word here = attempt)  a drop ring for the third time. I did my research this time (the first attempt didn't drop and the 2nd attempt dropped too far) and had my glass in the kiln - I was home and watched the drop. I flash vented the kiln. The piece was going to be perfect . . . I left it to anneal and cool over night. I was very surprised the next morning.

My camera didn't take a good pic because it was still cold from my morning walk, but you can see the glass puddled under the drop ring. Again -  -- I failed. I had the first part of the kiln's schedule correct, but had a random ramp up to 1700 degrees that ruined the piece - Oh well - more scrap glass :-(

I just hope I can salvage the drop ring and get the glass off of it.

Today I have a new round box in the kiln. It's just finishing. I did peek an hour ago and all looks fine. I checked the schedule 3x before letting it fire. I want no more huge mistakes.

Yesterday I took a field trip to a glass gallery in a nearby town (Menasha, WI). I had never visited this gallery - I love talking to other glass artists and Mary was enjoyable. She creates many lovely pieces and jewelry - some w/ recycled glass. Great ideas and a lovely gallery.

~ Julz

Fail

Okay - the kiln was fired last night and this morning I peeked - and found my failure - 

The beginnings of a bowl with 3 large bubbles. I need to adjust this fuse schedule so this doesn't happen on the next firing, but this can't be saved.

darn

~Julz