Saturday, August 28, 2010

Full Bloom ~ Flower Garden Series

Full Bloom
Flower Garden Series
Photo Credit: Daniel Krucoff

This is a serious floral scene, everything is in full bloom. As I worked on this piece, I wanted something visually dramatic.  There have been fields of wildflowers that have left a lasting impression on me.  When their blooms are at their peak, the powerful colors are overwhelming.  I tried to convey that in this piece.

It is currently on display and to the best of my knowledge, still available for purchase, at Boulder Arts & Crafts in Boulder, Colorado.  The exhibit at Boulder runs through September 5th, so if you are in the area and have a chance, I hope you can stop by and see some of my works.  They have other beautiful artwork available too and Boulder is always a fun place to visit.

Until next time, aspire to be more as an artist and a person.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Breaking Dawn
Sky-Scape Series
Photo Credit ~ Daniel Krucoff

Red glass has always been one of my favorites. I like the depth of it, the various shades, and the richness. This is one of my Sky-Scape bowls and I wanted it to convey those first red hues as the sun rises in the morning. That is my reason for calling this one Breaking Dawn.

I used Bullseye glass in this strip construction, combining the transparent glass with opals.  Creating any of these Sky-Scape bowls takes more time because I'm trying to get the right balance of glass colors to create the affect I want.  Of course, the way the strips look, prior to their first firing in the kiln for the full fuse, doesn't always provide an accurate view of how the piece will look after being fused.  There can be color shifts in some of the glass after fusing.  In this case, some of the reds turned out darker after being fused.  However, I'm still happy with the end result as I think it is dramatic.

Here's an interesting tidbit of information about red glass.  Gold is used in its manufacture.  I have an inventory of red glass that I purchased about 2 years ago which was before gold prices exceeded $1000 an ounce.  I haven't checked the price of red glass since gold prices went up.  Right now I'm happy that I have a supply.

Breaking Dawn is currently available at Boulder Arts and Crafts through September 5, 2010.

Until next time, aspire to be more as an artist and a person.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

The Opening Reception



There I am with one of my favorite bowls, Colorado Wildflowers. Dan took this at the opening reception on Friday night at Boulder Arts and Crafts.

It was a nice evening and there was a steady stream of people coming in to look at all the beautiful works. I had an opportunity to discuss my work with a number of visitors and it was fun to explain my process.

My work was paired with that of a silk painter and I thought it was a great compliment.

The show runs through September 5, 2010 and it feels like a dream come true for me.

I created a photo album on my Facebook Fan page. Please feel free to take a look and share your thoughts.

Until next time, aspire to be more as an artist and a person.