Summer/Fall 2015 On the Road!

Classes on The Road!

Teaching is one of the most gratifying things I do as an artist.  I love my students! Helping a student realize their goals, dreams, and potential is exciting and fulfilling to me. Whether it's a technical challenge or a concept development issue, I love the the actions of problem solving and overcoming hurdles. Sharing the laughter and support of fellow students during the process, well it just can't be beat! Catch one of my classes in my home studio outside of San Antonio, TX, or jump into one of my classes on the road!

July 18 - 19, 2015 - Jen-Ken Kilns, Lakeland, FL. - Hot Stuff - Harnessing Flow in Your Kiln

Aug. 21, 2015 - BeadFest, Philadelphia, PA. - Metal Clay 960; Lentil Beads with Stones

Aug. 22, 2015 - BeadFest, Philadelphia, PA. - Metal Clay Pendants with Vintage China

Oct. 30 - Nov. 1 - SiNaCa Studios, Fort Worth, Texas - Sculptural Glass with Imagery

Nov. 6 - 8, 2015 - Milkweed Arts, Phoenix Arizona - Sculptural Glass with Imagery

Hot Stuff - Harnessing Flow in Your Kiln

In this fast paced 2-day workshop students will learn the secrets to creating the elusive progressive pattern bar and spectacular pot and screen melts! We'll even learn the set ups for beautiful vitrograph cane! All these exciting techniques create fantastic components for use in sculptural and functional glasswork. Each student will use their choice of centerpiece components to create a gorgeous cheese tray using the new Patty Gray Dam Mold. Students will gain the knowledge of set up and layout of pattern bars, pot melts, and screen melts in the kiln, firing schedules and kiln programming, building dams, pulling vitrograph cane, cutting cane, and more. Be prepared for FUN! We'll be setting up and running kilns, prepping molds, using tile saws, lap wheels, grinders, the sandblaster, and pulling hot glass from the kilns! Students; Please wear closed toe shoes, bring a 100% cotton long sleeved shirt, & safety glasses. Some glass fusing experience is required.

Metal Clay 960; Lentil Beads with Stones

PMC 960 Sterling Silver is an exciting medium that allows you to produce quality, detailed hollow designs in sterling silver without the mess or equipment required for traditional jewelry casting. Beginners will love the ability to create personalized, one-of-a-kind lentil focal beads that they can wear alone on a chain, or add to their favorite beaded designs. In just one day students will create enviable heirloom quality silver pendants that work with any style.

Metal Clay Pendants with Vintage China

Jump into Bezel Setting in Metal Clay! This workshop will introduce you to the exciting world of setting inclusions Metal Clay. We will work with PMC 3 and fine silver bezel wire, to add beautiful vintage china shards and make pendants that are truly romantic, art deco, Asian and more! Don't miss this hybrid approach to new techniques in soldering on metal clay that will open the door to loads of new possibilities in jewelry making.

Sculptural Glass with Imagery

Take your fused glass beyond the bowl! It’s time to create light catching sculpture communicates. It doesn’t matter if you’re going for a loose abstract design or a photographic image, you’ll learn how to make it happen in this exciting new workshop! Each new skill and technique can be applied to small work as well as larger projects, making this a “don’t miss” class. The focus of this workshop is on the development and printing of images in tall, transparent, slab sculptures. Students will learn screen-printing, powder applications, and direct painting techniques to apply their imagery to multiple layers of glass. The image layers will then be fired, stacked, and fired again to create tall thick slabs of transparent glass. The slabs will then be cut, ground, polished and mounted on steel bases. Students will become skilled at preparing personalized images, creating their own screens, painting and layering powders and enamels, and mastering the firing schedules that deliver success. In addition, students will experience effective kiln casting and cold working techniques. Each student will cut, grind and polish their pieces, and learn how to mount their base pieces. Fusing experience is necessary to participate, but advanced skills are not required to be successful!

Timing is Everything!

Somedays things come together, and somedays they don't. Today was a mix of the two. I finally got the glass pieces on their stands. They look great with the light coming through them. I'm glad to have them done. I am supposed to send a piece to a piece to the exhibition at the Art Museum of South Texas for am invitational show. I'm inclined to send this piece, but I think it might be too small to make a good impact. It is 7" x 11" x 1",  It did turn out great though!

Cross Examination - Front View

Cross Examination - Back View

This is a piece of mine that's still in progress. It's inspired by my wonderful Archie who loves me unconditionally. (Archie's a dog. Just in case you didn't know.) Archie is more grown up now, not so puppyish anymore, like this picture. Anyway, his sweetness infiltrates my heart and makes me melt.

I'm debating on how much of the top to take off. And/or if I should add any more painting to the piece. It's two overlaid screen prints with enamels and then hand painted. I'm also debating a stand so light can come through the water and back or framing it. Opinions from the gallery are appreciated.

In the Weeds - Still in Progress

This piece is called "The Script." The text in the door talks about how we're all given a script of the roles we should play and what happens when we choose not to follow that script.

The Script

Today, there was a disconnect with someone over what was written in "my script" vs "their script." I think had we just talked, instead of emailing, the scripts would have come together.  Maybe time will bring it all back where it should be. I guess we all have those misunderstandings on occasion. I'm bummed that if went so off track. Anyway, this piece was finished today and finally put on it's stand. I'm working hard on perspective and proportion in my glass pieces. It can be a challenge to get the sizes right and maintain a sense of depth. This piece is 7" x 11" x 1". Light pours through the piece.

Last, and maybe least.....

Flourish in the Box

This is a piece I did on February 8th. Lisa, Francesca and I actually got about 90 minutes to sit down and play. That almost never happens. We all painted and experimented. I don't know if this is good or junk, but I like the color. The human figure really speaks to me. I can hardly do a piece without one anymore. mostly it was great to just be in the studio experimenting with my pals by my side.

This Mixed Media piece is on Arches watercolor board with Inktense blocks and pencils.  One day I'll attempt this in glass. 

A Good Day

Today was one of those run a million errands days! First, 2 hours in the car to take Will to school and then swing by Francesca's house, pick her up and head back to the studio.

While I did KilnFrog.com work, Francesca set up for her Etching and Metal Printing workshop this weekend. She did a cool new set up and we tested lots of samples. This flapper girl is from a photo that I manipulated in Photoshop and then toner printer and heat burnished onto the copper. The details are really great for an etching.

Flapper Girl Etched on to 24 Gauge Copper Sheet

So, then after we etched, we hopped back into the car and headed to the NEISD offices to get fingerprinted, so we can teach on any of their campuses. We're now "in the system." Ha! They took photos and fingerprints and I didn't even do anything wrong.....YET! I'm glad that's over! Then, back in the car again for another hour. Too much car time today!

I'm getting ready for my Kiln Forming I class. It's 10 weeks of wonderful glass fusing, plates, bowls, jewelry, and more. I have 4 students, so we'll be able to get so much done! We start on Thursday and I can't wait!  It's been a while since I've really had the chance to sink my teeth into my glass work. The move has been tough and taken way too long, but I'm finally settled in and comfortable.

I'll post pictures as we go! Tomorrow, no errands! YAY!

Las Vegas Glass Craft Expo, and other musings....

This week I venture off to Las Vegas for the Glass Craft Expo! I'm teaching 4 classes; Printmaking Techniques for glass artists, Electroforming on Glass, Glass on Metals; Torch and Kiln Fired Enamels, Modern Jewelry; Beyond Dichroics. I love teaching at this venue because of the mix of students. There are absolute beginners, intermediate level hobbyists, and professionals who make a living selling their work. In addition there are industrial design folks who make glass for tiles, architectural installation, etc. The manufacturers are also present at this venue, so there is a sense of discovery of all that is new and exciting in the field. Being a tool junkie myself, I find it irresistible. if you haven't been to the show, and you are involved in glass, make it your business to go. It's a ball! Just make sure you have money in your pocket, because you will be tempted by all the goodies. See ya when I get back! If you are there...come visit me in Las Vegas! We're at the South Point Hotel and Convention Center  I am in classroom GBB1!  See you there!

This is titled "Good Girl." It's screen printed with enamels. I used Flexi-glass medium and french vanilla powder to create the "torn paper" effect for the background. On the final slump I rubbed some of the enamel from the front into the grooves on the back to color the back a little more of a blush tone. I think it worked out well!
Can anyone guess who this is?...and it's not Marilyn.

This piece is bronze, silver, and copper. It's kind of simplistic and organic.  I like it because it reminds me of the jewelry made during the Bauhaus period (1917-1929). It is true to the materials. It kind of looks like coffee beans, but that's not what I was going for. 

This is my first finished encaustic mixed media piece.
I got to play in my studio and I really wanted to try something new.
I'm still trying to figure things out with this wax stuff, but I really like it!

This piece is 8" x 8".  I love doing mixed media pieces. This is tissue, photos, stamps, wire, paint, and hardware.
I'm looking forward to dong this on a large scale, but I'm learning a lot doing these in these smaller scale.

Wicked Good Pattern Bars!!!

As my friend from Boston sometimes jokes, "Those are wicked good!" My pattern bar class was awesome!  Here are a few samples..... I'm excited to see the next step. And the saw was not clean all day!

Betsy's bookends! Tribal!

A progressive! Stone!

Another Bookend! This is very pacific northwest.

Art Deco Style Roman!

Another Progressive Bar. Hey Valentine!

Bookends!  Kind of Dutch!

Friday's Classes - Image Prep and Screen Printing on Glass!

Friday's classes were fantastic. I had six wonderful students who really created spectacular results! The first half of the day we spent working on our photographs and learning to convert them to screen print ready images. The process was easy to some and daunting to others. It really does depend on your familiarity with your computer, your software, and their capabilities. Once my awesome students understood the steps, it was smooth sailing and they began to add, subtract, highlight and further their images to suit the specific needs of screen printing on glass. We worked in a 6" square format.

I love the variance of subject matter!

We worked from full color photos to create crisp one color images which could then be screened printed into our glass, multiple times in multiple colors if desired. Then in the afternoon, we created the screens and pulled the prints on 6mm clear glass.

This photo originally had an ornate background. I love the vintage look!

We discussed what the students could do with their panels and their screens and everyone was excited by the possibilities. The pieces will be coming out of the kiln today and I can't wait to see what the students do next!

A few grandkid photos were done too!

Even a Greek statue!

I really like these! They are so interesting.

Just a few experiments!

The last few weeks I've been teaching lots of classes and just trying to get back on track after the trip.

I think I'm getting things where I want them. Here are a few of my quick experiments on new screen printing ideas.

3 sushi plates! The 2 on the ends are completely smooth, and fully fused. The middle one has texture.

The female freedom fighter is ghosted over the landscape.

The mixing bowls and whisks have Hedy Lamar completely perplexed!

Santa Fe Powder Printing Class

I had a wonderful trip to Bullseye Glass in Santa Fe! My buddy Lisa came with me and it was awesome. We had a fantastic meal at Luminaria at the Inn at Loretto. One of the best meals I've ever had in Santa Fe. Thanks to Perry for suggesting it, I should have been quick enough to invite him and Nancy to dinner with us!

Stacy Smith is a fantastic instructor. She made the class fun and inspirational! Erik Whittemore, the resident Studio Manager was the perfect host/TA/collaborator! A big thanks to Morgan and her team for their support. Bravo on my best Bullseye experience ever! In my humble opinion, Stacy is likely the best ambassador of the all the positives of the "Bullseye Spirit!" I hope they elevate her to the appropriate status she deserves. Enough gushing! (Seriously, I hope they'll let her come teach at Wired Designs Studios.....c'mon Jim!!!!)

My fellow students were great to hang with and gave me a wonderful perspective on all of the different ways to employ these techniques. We were all doing our own things, and they were all so great and different! Thanks everyone. I got to hang with Nancy Weisser, Perry and Colleen, and we had an awesome time.

Here are a few of my samples from the class. I'll be incorporating this technique into my Printmaking Techniques for Glass classes going forward.

This powder print was fired twice; once for the background at full fuse, and then once at a tack fuse for the foreground image. I'm using imagery from my Women's Roles and Identities series.

These were images that we were given to play with in order to learn the technique.The 2 on the left are full fuse on 6mm, the 2 on the right are tack fused on 3mm. Both have equal merit and use.

Very little distortion! Halftones work really well.

Part of my Women's Roles and Identities imagery. This is all powder.....no sheet glass. Cool huh?

This was all done in a single firing! Love the effect!

Yesterday I had a private Torch Fired Enamels workshop. My student is a wonderful lady who has seen and done it all! We worked on stenciled enamels, and component projects. I had done the centerpiece of this necklace previously, and just wasn't completely happy with it. So my student and I added some components and took it to the next level.

I'm teaching this technique in Las Vegas at the Glass Craft Expo next year. It's called Glass on Metals!
I know that all my glassy friends will love doing this!!

This piece is copper enameled and riveted with silver connections.
I love acid green and turquoise together!

We were going for something Asian. These look really great on!

Printmaking on Glass

Wednesday's class was fantastic! We made silk screens, created our own photo resists, created photo transfers, worked with Gel Medium for ink transfer, and finally focused on direct painting with Enamels! The workshop, which was a consolidated version of our regular class gave everyone a taste of print making techniques and provided all the students with a sample of each type to take home. There sure was a lot to cover in a short period of time, but we did it and still managed to laugh!

A big thanks to Gary M. for his awesome seafood gumbo and homemade cornbread for lunch!  It was truly a southern treat!

Here are some pictures to give ya'll a feel for the whirlwind that was our day!

This is a combination of silk screened and photo resist samples.
There's even a photo transfer with some overlaid enamel!

More overlaid enamels!

Here's the gel medium transfers, and the photo transfers.

My sample of a silk screen thumb print under a photo resist figure.

This is a thick block that has photo resist works inside and an enamel painting on top.
This is in the kiln now! (I'll post a finished picture when it's complete.)

Here's my painted enamels overtop of a gel medium transfer background.

Here's part of the group dry filling their blasted resists!

Join us for the next one of these workshops in October!  Here's a few sample photo's.....

Strip Construction Class!

Last weekend we had an awesome strip construction workshop! The students made some gorgeous pieces. Here are some of the shots of the work in progress and almost finished. The folks did stringer tapestry and conventional strip construction, but then they really changed it up!  I'm so proud of my fantastic students.

Annie

Annie

Sunny's piece

Sue's piece