It's Alive!

Let me introduce you to "Jade", my new ASW Table Top Machine. She is set up and working now.... and I literally did think "It's Alive!", as if I was Dr Frankenstein bringing this tool to 'life'. It was quite the process and involved more trips to Home Depot than I would have ever thought!

Since I had to set this up in my studio and when we built out house I didn't think I needed a direct water line to the studio (that was wrong), I needed to use a water circulating system to operate the machine. This is a photo of what that circulating system looks like. That involves using a pond pump, flower pot, a rather large rubber trash can, series of tubes and connectors. Initially I was following the directions supplied by the manufacturer. Unfortunately, they didn't contain specs on the type of pump to purchase, so I bought one that was too small. Course, now I can use that to create a bubbling vase out in my flower garden come June as right now the flower garden is covered in about 2' of snow (but that's another story).

Then there was the challenge of connecting the intake and outtake lines, getting the proper connections. Fortunately, the folks as ASW are very nice and helpful. I called and was given the actually make and model of the pond pump to use, which simplified the connection problem and the water output problem. The nice gentlemen at ASW thought all of this should be put out on their website for folks like me and was going to talk to the inventor of this system to have them put it out there. That would be great!

Unfortunately, using this type of system means that I will have to empty the water by hand. Course, even if I had a direct hook up to a water line, I would still have to empty the 'waste' water into a bucket like I've shown here because you can't dump this water down your drain as it would eventually clog with glass particle residue. I can use this water on my plants and things outside, no problem.

I picked Jade up on Monday of this past week and have been putting things in place for her use and Friday afternoon I finally got it up and running! Yesterday I started work on the 4 pieces that were waiting for the coldworking process. Oh my goodness, what a difference this machine has made in my ability to quickly (key word quickly) get down to the finishing process.

She came with a set of 6 finished discs, varying diamond grits (another key word here, diamond!). The discs are pictured here. They have magnetic backings so they fit securely on the disc that rotates. Let me tell you, it is quite the job getting these discs off the platen....I'm sure I'll figure out the technique, but right now it's a challenge. So I worked on "Hues of Nature", "Meteor Showers", "Eclipse of the Black Moon", and "Growing Love". I only got the first grinding phase done and now I need to empty the water and start fresh as I move to the next grit level.

With a circulating system like this, because I'm grinding off the most glass in this first phase, the water has LOTS of ground glass particles. Now most will sink to the bottom of the main bucket, but there still are plenty floating in the water that is being circulated back up to the grinding disc. And those tiny glass particles are ok for this phase of work, but I need to clear them out as I move on in the finishing process so they won't scratch what I'm working on for the next phase.

I find it hard to believe that I took my first coldworking class at D & L last May and I was seriously intimidated by this type of a machine. Then I took Kent Lauer's class in September and Patty Gray's in November. By then I knew that I couldn't do the work I wanted without one of these beauties. So Jade has quickly taken her place in my arsenal of tools and I am in awe of what she can provide to help me with my glass work.

Investment in the business....ok, new toy... wait, it's BOTH!

I have finally taken the leap and purchased a real piece of coldworking equipment. With some of my latest thick pieces, this is just a necessity.

Part of the impetus for this purchase was D & L had/has a screaming price on this particular machine after their Kent Lauer classes earlier this month. They will have extra machines for Kent's dichroic sculpture classes (which I took last fall) and then offer them at a discount. Their discount this go round was too good to pass up.

I pick up this jewel next Friday, along with some other items. Now, it may not look real pretty to most of you, but it is a real beauty to me. Another work horse tool to add to my arsenal. I love tools!

The machine I currently use is more for a 'hobbyist' and was a temporary measure until I could justify a professional model. Well, I'm to a point where I need this industrial machine. Unfortunately, I doubt I'll be able to finish Meteor Shower in time for the submission deadline. :(

I really need a machine with the capabilities of this new one I'm getting in order to complete the cold work in time. That's ok, things happen for a reason, so maybe there's another...possibly better venue for Meteor Showers. I'll keep all of you posted.

And thanks so much to all the people who follow and comment on my blog. I enjoy the interactions and friendships a great deal.

Coldworking and Fire Polishing

I'm getting closer to finishing this piece. Tonight I got back to the coldwork needed to finish the edge of the blue bowl. I ordered a couple of additional wet belts for my sander in various grits to help with the coldworking and those belts arrived last week.

Tonight I was able to go through a series of belts, from a 60 grit to 800 grit, and get the edge finished. I did a slight bevel on the top and bottom edge which should smooth even more during the fire polish.

The reason for fire polishing is to help round the glass edge a little more, smooth it and make it nice and glossy.

The finishing work went smoothly and much easier than my previous attempts. I think I'm becoming a coldworking believer. In the Kent Lauer, Faceted Dichroic Pendant class, Kent told me it wouldn't take much time at all to develop coldworking skills. Of course, being the Master Beveler that he is, he was right!

Tonight I'm completing the fire polish stage, so the edge will no longer have a mat appearance and should be glossy. I hope I'm happy with the results when I open the kiln tomorrow to check it.

After that, I will be ready to complete the final stage for this piece, the slumping into the bowl mold to complete the project. I learned a lot from this bowl and that seems to be the norm with any project I work on.

I will move on to the Hues of Nature piece next for the finishing work it needs.

During all of this, I've been revamping our studio website, along with my personal website. All this and a day job too! Art has captured my soul and I don't think I could live without being creative. Here's wishing all of you inspirations for your work too!

Glass at the Gardens - Opening Reception

What a great evening!

Dan & I got there early and had a chance to walk around looking at all the beautiful art glass. Incredible. When we got to the display case where my jewelry was, to my surprise and delight, the Floral Talisman (pictured in this post) had sold! What a way to start the evening. This is the first time any of my work has sold at the Glass Artists Fellowship.... Glass at the Gardens Show.

The next pleasant surprise was seeing Riva Sweetrocket. Riva is a friend and very talented contemporary pastel artist in Denver, represented by Plus+Gallery. Riva has wanted to see my work and Dan & I had a chance to walk around the show pointing out my pieces. She plans on bringing her husband, Rohan, to see the exhibit this weekend. How cool. And she wants to see more of my work, so the next time she & Rohan are in the Springs, they will stop by the house.

Then Kent Lauer arrived after a day of teaching his Dichroic Sculpture class at D and L. I was able to show Kent my entries in the show and I am very flattered by his kind words and opinion of what I had done. Thanks for your encouragement Kent!

I also had a chance to visit with some of the folks from D & L Stained Glass Supply. They had their display on this history of glass at the show. Really interesting.

It was a great evening. Dan & I had a lot of fun. Unfortunately, the air conditioning must have been off as it was rather toasty. However, that didn't dampen the creative atmosphere in the room. It has been a wonderful week for me. Now I have all these new ideas swirling in my head for my next projects. Can't wait to start them.....

Facetted Dichroic Pendants

I'm posting a couple of pictures of the pendants that I created in the Kent Lauer class this past Sunday at D & L Stained Glass. Kent was an angel and corrected my initial efforts at shaping these. I think of them as his work and I could never part with them. My goal will be to create more, once I can afford to purchase the machinery necessary to create them. I find them to be absolutely stunning.

The process involves two layers of 1/4" think clear glass with dichroic glass sandwiched between them. The three layers are glued together, using a UV glue. Then the square is shaped, beveled if you will, to allow the beauty of the dichroic glass shine through the prisms created in the beveling process.

These two will be wire wrapped and I will post pictures when they are finished. That may be in another week or two due to my current schedule of events. Enjoy!

Invest in Yourself

I have to stress how important it is to invest in yourself and your continuing education. Learning art, or anything I think, requires that you are continually learning and growing.

Today reinforced my belief that learn anything and everything you can from people who are skilled, talented, and willing to share. Seek out those individuals whose work you admire and learn all you can from them.

I had the great opportunity today to attend a class taught by Kent Lauer. WOW.

And there were other artists who attended this workshop too. We all wanted to learn more. It is just terrific to hear others talk about their addiction to glass. What a medium! If it ever captures you, you're hooked.

Kent is phenomenal. Great knowledge, skills, and humor. Today I made two dichroic sculpture pendants, which I will wire wrap. And Kent will be coming to Glass at the Gardens on the opening reception on Wednesday night....now I hope all of my pieces will be accepted into the show when they are delivered tomorrow. What a week this is going to be.

Show Preparations

I'm taking a break from working on everything that will be delivered to the Botanic Gardens on Monday in preparation for Glass at the Gardens, Ancient Origins. Whew.

Last night I spoke with Maggie Heard, Membership VP for Glass Artist Fellowship, who has also taken on the massive responsibility of logging all the entries for the show, along with who knows what else. It's reassuring, in an odd way I realize, that she too is working on the finishing touches of things at the last minute, so to speak.

So while I work diligently today at the cleaning and polishing of everything for the show (Glass needs to sparkle ya know), I do take comfort knowing others are doing the same for this show. I shared this with my husband this morning and he had quite the laugh.

Tomorrow I'm off to D & L Stained Glass in Denver (my supplier of glass and tools), where I'm enrolled in one of their classes. This one is Faceted Dichroic Pendants and the instructor is Kent Lauer, a nationally known glass artist. Good stuff. I know how important it is to invest in yourself by taking classes and growing your personal talent. I figure I'll stop learning about earthly things when I die, not before! I love learning new things.