Goodbye beautiful!… and THANKS.


This goddess bead started off simply as an experiment in testing a new colour and a more subtle female shape.  Then, over the past couple days I was introduced to the many different ways her shape can be interpreted – some of them, to be frank, quite traumatizing to my creative ego

As of today though, my bruised ego has almost fully recovered and I am once again superbly proud of her.  Once I calmed down, I realized it’s actually kinda fun to hear what each person sees in each of my creations.  Sure, it may not be what i intended but that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s a bad thing.

Once i really thought about it, I realized I never intended to create anything very literal – my own personal tastes run to art that can be interpreted in many different ways.  This is, however, my first time being on the receiving end of those interpretations.  So shocking yes, but i guess i better get used to it.  And pronto.

I’ve also come to the realization of just how very personal each of my creations have become to me.  With hot glass, even as a relative newb, what i create comes straight from my soul.  When i sit in front of the torch i can start off with the intention of creating something specific but by the time i’m done the result is usually quite different.  Part of it is the inherent lack of limits in hot glass, another part is due to my current level of experience, a significant part is my own personal taste and the final part is… i dunno – i suppose you could call it creative energy?

It’s that indescribable “creative energy” that determines the final look of each of my pieces.  It’s that same creative energy that ensures if you handed 50 lampwork artists the same glass rod, the same frit and sat them in front of the same torch you’d end up with 50 unique items.  And then of course, each piece would be interpreted in 1001 different ways…

Soooo, all this to say this beautiful goddess now represents a major step in my development as a lampwork artist.  I’ve become so very attached to her she’s not leaving my house.  And not just because she developed a crack across her butt.

Why I love hot glass


Would you believe that those boring beige rods on the left created the fantastic variety of colours in this goddess?? I’m stunned at the depth and intensity, especially since this is the first time I’ve ever used this German glass.  I didn’t even do or try anything special.  I hope you can see at least some of the iridescence.  Love it, love it, LOVE IT!!!  can’t wait to play more…

Technical details: 40mm x 16mm, R-106 Reichenbach Iris Dark Brown Opaque (dark raku), 96COE, with a sprinkle of goldstone frit

Another Hallowe’en come and gone…

I always feel a little pensive on November 1st. 

It means the year is almost over and any remaining projects on my To Do list for this year most likely won’t be done. 

It means I now really have to put away the cute shoes, drag out the boots and socks and stop dreaming about an extended indian summer.

It means instead of kicking my way through huge piles of crisp, brightly coloured leaves, i’ll soon feel the tight crunch of that first snowfall under my feet and see the clouds of my breath leading each step.

It means i have another birthday around the corner – who knows, maybe this year i’ll finally feel grown-up?

It means Christmas (my favourite holiday) is just a few weeks away and I can look forward to several days of aromatic cooking, raucous laughter, steamy windows and the warmth and company of good friends and family.

And it means i better remember to vacuum the filter this time before i turn on the furnace.

Ever wondered what you would look like….

…as a Simpson’s character? This is a Simpsonized version of me.  Note I’m wearing beads – my own of course.

simpsonized-me3.png

http://simpsonizeme.com

Almost as much fun as the South Park version.  And very accurate too.

…except i do have a chin. And irises.  And i’m not quite that shade of brown.  Oh, and no room in my house is that white.

But otherwise? Fer shure, just like real life. Really.