It’s Sunday morning and I woke up at 7am and it wasn’t dark!!!  Although I hate wasting the light so early in the day I must admit getting up at 6:30 am in the dark is hard.

I thought I would have posted this entry well over a week ago but for some reason drama always finds me (even if I never leave the house!)  I did manage to get my paperweights out at the 11th hour! The order came in on short notice and I only had 2 weeks to complete it.   After only making 13 of the 19 I ran out of the clear encasing glass and first had to locate the glass and then get it here from Pennsylvania.  It arrived 5 days later than I had hoped and not until 5pm 2 days before the deadline!  I started making them as soon as the glass arrived and had to give up after the third one burned both my arms as it fell to the ground!!!  I had been working all day and my kiln was quite full and I was already tired so you can imagine all 3 had a little problem?!?!?  I had to give it up and start fresh the next day.  Luckily I was successful the next day and they were all delivered in the nick of time!  Here’s the pictures…pool anyone?

Just in time for the next Drama!!!  As part of my sculpture for my Ontario Arts Council grant I started a chess set.  I am so excited about it.  The theme is “Good and Evil” and it is angels and devils.  The pieces are of course lampworked and the board is enameled squares.  I have just started enameling again after many years.  I have had these enamels in my studio since the 80′s and was happily using them after so many years.  I never gave it a thought that if I ran out of a colour that I may never be able to finish the project!?!?!?  Well of course what do you think happened!?  I ran out of both colours only to find that these enamels have long since been discontinued.  To top it off my supplier of 30 years disappeared.  I began my desperate search for this flame red and white enamel.

I found a lovely woman online (living in downtown Toronto) who is an expert enameler and teacher!  Catherine Crowe was so helpful and a pleasure to talk to.  Not only did she know how to find Mr. Button but she also put me in contact with a supplier that had some of the old stuff and told me to join the website “Grains of Glass” and post on the forum.  I did this and not only is there some amazing enameling talent out there that you don’t come across too often, but my post was answered and a fellow artisan is sending me her stash!!!  It really warms the heart to meet these wonderful and supportive people.  Thank you all for your help, it means so much!!!

Last night as I was finishing my last chess piece I managed to stick my hand through the flame of my torch.  Ouch!!!  First I burned myself, then dropped the knight on one of the other ones and broke off the wing.  Burn or no burn I had to fix it.  I couldn’t rest until I finished my goal for the day!  Here are a couple of pictures taken with my phone (which is why they’re not great!)  I can’t wait to finish the board.  Check back soon for that.

In between all of this one of my customers from the Bracebridge show in northern Ontario contacted me because she is opening a store in a great location on the main street and wants to carry my work there.  I was so honoured she thought of me!!!  I have known her and her family for at least 10 years and I’m so excited for her new endevour.  Her location looks gorgeous and I wish her much success and happiness.  If you’re up in Bracebridge or just visiting check out her new store called Bliss Boutique.  Good luck Liz!!!

Now I’m in the crunch getting ready for the One of a Kind Show.  I hope to see you all there.  I’m in booth # H 05  (high 5!!!)

Well it’s taken me a week longer than I thought to post this entry.  It’s been such a busy week and to be perfectly honest I was exhausted after the tour.  Although the weatherman promised no rain he lied again!!!  Even with all that rain the turnout was exceptional.  There was a steady stream of people all weekend filling the colourful bead store.

I was so fortunate to have the help and company of my youngest son, Zac.  He took the weekend off work and got up early to help me with the show.  He’s such a sport sitting outside serving up Debi’s homemade antipasto and goat cheese on crackers.  I’m sure he ate almost as much as he made!!!  The ladies that work at the bead store are also the nicest, most enthusiastic and supportive group of girls.  It’s such a wonderful family brought together out of the love of beads!!!  This next picture is Debi, Susan, Chris and Zac in front of some beads.  Sorry I didn’t get Ruth in there too?!

Inside the store were my beads and jewelry as well as Debi’s beautiful beaded wares.  There is also a wonderful display of all the fabulous classes they offer at the store taught by Deb and all her talented helpers.  I have to add a special thank you to Debi’s husband Dave for his invaluable help and support.  What a wonderful team they make.  Here is a picture of Barb and Dave dishing up the antipasto.

I was also asked by a few people about classes.  I would love to put a class together so if you’re interested please drop me a note.  I’m going to try to arrange something for a weekend in January and or February.  I will post something as soon as I confirm a date with Bead FX.  Here’s a picture of Lauren and I (a favourite Dundas bead regular!)  Hopefully Lauren will be attending my class in the new year!  Melting glass is so much fun!!! The second picture is Heather and her beautiful daughter who braved the cold and rain to sit outside on the porch all weekend to sell her beautiful mosaic and sculpture art.

Saturday after the show Zac and I drove to Guelph to visit my daughter and see her new townhouse and take her out for dinner.  It’s so great to see her all grown up, responsible and independent!  Sunday after we took down the show we went for out traditional wings  with Deb, Dave, Barb, Zac and I.  Half price wings always taste better!!!

The Friday night before the show I had to stay up late to finish firing my latest creation.  I made a copper crocheted birds nest which I enamelled and of course there is a glass bird in the nest.  Next came the tree.  I twisted copper wire, foldformed copper leaves and after many  hours and layers  of enamel, this is the result.  I just love it!  The second picture just shows it before the tree was enamelled.

Tuesday was quite a sad and happy day. One of my best friend’s brother died at the young age of 53.  It was so sad but all the eulogies were very moving, right down to the Sam Cooke song they played which was the tune Daryl would always sing!  The happy part was that I received a commission for 19 paperweights for corporate gifts.  I’m so honoured and excited to be given this project.  Here is a picture of the samples I made in the colours representing Visa, Mastercard and CIBC!  They are being presented on the 21st so I’ll be super busy melting lots of glass in the next 2 weeks.  They chose  the one on the left.  Each one will be slightly different of course!  I’m sure I’ll be taking a picture of the whole group when they’re done.

I’m open to all opportunities that the universe has to offer, so who knows what’s next???  Well, the One of a Kind Show of course…and who knows what else.  I do have lots of projects on the go and I’ll be sure to post some of them soon.   Last night I attended my first Elvis wedding…a unique twist on the average ceremony!!!  Congratulations Ivy and Lloyd.  Fun party, and great turkey dinner on the lucky date of 10/10/10!   I hope you’re all having a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and loved ones!!!

I can’t believe fall is here!  The colours are spectacular already up here in Oak Ridges.  The summer went by so quickly and there just aren’t enough hours in a day.  On the August long weekend I participated in Kempenfest up in Barrie.  It was a gorgeous weekend and I had an unbelievably beautiful spot right on the beach.  I was surprised on Saturday when Jessie Marshall (the show coordinator) came by introduced herself and shook my hand as she presented me with a big blue 2nd place ribbon for my glass.  Thanks for the honour Kempenfest!!!

This past Saturday I was invited to participate in Culture Days which was across Ontario celebrating Arts and Culture in our communities.  Tracey and Derek Martin hosted an “Art Shindig” at their studioin Barrie.  Their business is Martin House Garden Art www.martinhouseart.com.  They create a widevariety of metal garden art, sculpture and jewelry.  About a year ago on a break at the one of a kind showI had mentioned to Tracey how I have always wanted to collaborate on a chandelier with a metal artist. Well she remembered this conversation and suggested this would be the perfect opportunity to do it!  I am so excited!!!  I created 2 different tear drop shaped prototypes for inspiration to bring with me for this event.  This picture is an example of one of the pieces for inspiration. The possibilities are endless.  I can’t wait to see what we come up with.  We are both inductees in the Hall of Fame at the one of akind show and we’re hoping to have the finished piece in the main exhibit!  My fingers are crossed.  This is a first for both of us!

Of course we were not the only ones participating in the fun event.  There were several artists demonstrating their creativity throughout the day from interesting music, visual artists, and animation.  Lots of visitors dropped by to check things out.  Their studio is an artist’s dream.  Like a huge garage with doors that open on either side, heated floors for the winter, and lots of tools!!!  Their property, house and gallery is a destination unto itself.  They certainly live an artist’s life.  It is truly an oasis of their own unique creation.  I only wish I had taken a few more pictures of the gardens for you all to see.  The gallery is open to the public if you’re ever up in the Barrie area.  Check out their website for information.

Here are a few pictures of some of the demos that were going on throughout the day;

This weekend I am fortunate to be participating as a guest in the Dundas Studio Tour once again.  I will be at Beads of Colour at 65 Main St, Dundas ON.  www.dundasstudiotour.ca for more info or to download the map and brochure.  I just love the community of both artists and visitors on this 2 day event.  This year the theme is colour and each studio will have a food to sample representing colour along with all the colourful art on display.  Come out and join us for the fun.  It’s a great way to enjoy the fall and experience art for the whole family.  Hope to see you there.

Well, I’ve been talking about it for a while and now it’s finally here.  My new blog!  It’s been an eventful year with moving, kids, and creating.  As many of you know I was awarded an Ontario Arts Council Grant for Creative Development.

My proposal was to combine metal and glass creating larger, more sculptural work continuing with my stories and exploring cultural motifs.  I am learning many new techniques, experimenting with many I haven’t done in many years, and of course Glass!  So many ideas are swirling through my head, if only there were more hours in a day.

I’m so excited to share my lastest creation.  “Moses”  I have been thinking of this piece for a long time and finally each part came together.  As for the silversmithing it’s been a relearning process.  I haven’t worked much with fabrication and soldering silver in so many years, but it’s all coming together.  Moses’s head hands and feet are my lampwork beads.  His hands are punched out of a die I made with my home made hydraulic press and soldered to the arms.  In his left hand, he holds the tablets with the 10 commandments.  In his right hand is a container with removable lid that holds a scroll with a blessing.  His tallis is knitted with fine silver wire, with a silver kippah and tube riveted together.  He stands on a die formed copper base.

I’m so proud of him I even dreamed that my house fell over and all I cared about was that Moses fell apart!  Just after I finished him, I received the new issue of the Flow magazine and there was an article about one of my favourite glass Maestro’s, Gianni Toso.  He is an orthodox Jew makes the most amazing chess  sets with the Jews and the Christians.  In the article he talked about Moses and the biblical beginnings of glass.  Moses gave a special blessing to each tribe.  One of the blessings was “from the sandy beach you will go to make a treasure unto the world” which is believed to be the secret of glassmaking.  After I read this my sculpture became even more Magical!!!Last weekend was the Muskoka Arts and Crafts Show in Bracebridge.  I love that show.  It’s like a vacation, the scenery is beautiful, people are so nice, and I’ve had the pleasure of seeing so many families grow up over the years!!!  It’s so much fun to catch up on a year gone by with my amazing customers/friends.  The weather held up nicely for us and the camping was good 2 of the 3 nights when the air mattress stayed up!  One of my favourite people (and a customer with an amazing collection of my work!) drove up all the way from Toronto just to come to the show!

Now I’m back to reality looking forward to the next creation!?!?!  If you’re near the Barrie area on July 31, Aug. 1-2, check me out at Kempenfest booth #120.  That show is a first to me, so I’ll keep my fingers crossed and hope for good weather.  You never know with these outdoor shows!!!