Aspen Branch - Painted Bowl

This is the largest of my Aspen Branch Series. It's a bowl, approximately 13" in diameter and about 2" deep.

I used Peter McGrain's Vitri-Fusaille technique to paint the branch and leaf stems. I just loved Karen's earlier comment on the beginning of this piece when I mentioned how I felt less timid painting this one! I really did feel more free to let myself paint what I pictured. Now I know this is just simple line drawing stuff...I just think it adds so much to a piece. It's great fun and I plan on doing more painting on glass.

For my next go round on this design, I think I'm going to use green leaves. It's so hard to tell how pretty the glass is for the leaves here. I used a very colorful Bullseye streaky that had reds, rusts, greens, and even some blues. That glass reminded me of autumn colors. I still find it very pretty, just too dark in the photo to show how everything turned out.

Reaching for my inner painting 'abilities'

Last night, after I finished working on more of the copper foiling for my Peace Angel, I thought it would be good to relax and watch one of my new DVDs. I ordered several of Peter McGrain's DVDs, and the first to arrive was his Vitri-Fusaille Technique. What I have viewed so far, I've really enjoyed and this got me thinking that I'm going to have to reach deep inside my creative self and try to resurrect my inner painting 'abilities'.

Yes I have dabbled in the world of painting some. A few weeks ago, I found an ink and watercolor piece that I think I did as far back as grade school. Sometimes I'm a bit of a pack rat. I showed it to Dan and, while he may be biased, he felt it showed my artistic abilities even back then. I'll have to post a picture of that old drawing/painting here so all of you can smile at my early artistic attempts. :)

I am looking forward to exploring this new VitriFusaille technique as I can adapt it to my style. And yes, I do have some ideas about what I would like to try first....course my leaning is towards nature and Aspen leaves, so we'll see what my first efforts at painting on glass will be after a fairly long absence from trying any painting at all. That's why I admire the skills of all you painters out there...I think it takes great talent to paint.

My thanks to a fellow ArtScuttlebutt member, Arlene Wright-Correll, for sharing that McGrain has published this series of DVDs on his techniques. I love learning new things.