DESIGNING ART USING MODERN TECHNOLOGY - IS IT STILL ART?

My stained glass art: using my imagination to come up with an idea for a piece of stained glass, sketching it, and creating it. All by hand. Well, up until now.

I love my art. I love paying attention to some fine detail during my day and then turning it into a piece of stained glass as I did with “Falling Leaf”. I love sketching my ideas into my sketchbook. I love picking the colors and textures of glass for each piece. It is all very rewarding right up until that time when I have to take that sketch and decide on the final size of the piece. This is when I have to go to an office supply store and try and get the person behind the counter to enlarge my sketch to the exact size I’m looking for. This takes time, it takes math skills and it takes patients when getting that person behind the counter to understand why I need this sketch enlarged 168% and why 165% isn’t going to work. There has to be an easier way.

There is and Don, a fellow stained glass artisan introduced me to it. It’s software called, “Glass Eye 2000” by Dragonfly Software and I’m thoroughly hooked.

I still sketch my ideas but instead of doing the final drawing and then having to get it resized at the office supply store, I scan it into a .jpg and import it into the software. Once my sketch is in there, I trace it and color it using all of the glass samples in the program (over 2600 different color and textures from 8 different manufacturers) and make it the exact size I want. When I’m satisfied with it, I send it to my printer, it prints out on multiple sheets with match lines that I piece together and I then have my pattern for my piece of art.

At first I questioned whether this would affect my ‘art’ in some way so that it’s not really art. But after much thought, I decided it does not. I still use my imagination, I still do the initial layout in my sketchbook and I sill use my hands to create the finished product. I’m a believer that modern technology has not taken away from my art but just made it more efficient. Same as the architect that uses CAD to draw the plans or a musician that uses a soundboard to get the just right sound. Is it any less art by using modern technology? I think not.

To see more of my designs created by using "Glass Eye 2000" by Dragonfly Software, click on my link: Those In Glass Houses...designs using "Glass Eye 2000" by Dragonfly Software.

FALLING LEAF

While sitting on my patio, I watched a leaf fall from my neighbor's tree and remembered the

e.e. cummings poem,

"1(a...(a leaf falls on loneliness)". Inspiration enough for a simple pattern...

Just one lone leaf.

Falling...

floating...

...in emptiness to the ground.

The only color in this panel is the leaf. The dark green glass of the leaf with a light green glass being the underneath, curling up onto itself as it falls to the ground. The rest of the glass is clear with various textures and an opening in the middle, void of glass. When hung in a window, the clear glass will allow you to still see nature outside but your focus will be on the lone leaf.

Each piece of glass is hand cut then ground to the perfect shape and size. Each piece is wrapped in copper foil tape and then soldered together. This piece is framed in copper and the solder was given a copper patina rub. There are two hooks at the top for hanging.

Size: 10-1/2" x 18-1/2"

Price: Email for more information

NOT YOUR ORDINARY GREEN TURTLE

When I started with glass art, the creation of a piece was so rewarding. Picking the pattern, picking the right glass to give each piece it's look and then creating it. But since I started doing custom work, I've found that using my imagination to design each piece is as much fun as the making of it. And I'm finding something out about myself - I don't like the normal, run of the mill, stained glass pattern. I want them to be different.

My latest request for a stained glass small window was for a turtle. And as I said, I wanted to do something different. No typical green turtle for me. I remembered seeing a Hawaiian tribal turtle tattoo that I liked and sketched it. But it needed something more. I had the idea to make it so the turtle wasn't the main focal point and instead of the typical turtle shell pattern, I would make the shell a flower. The pattern was now done and it did just what I wanted it to do. NOT look like the typical turtle.

Now to pick the right glass that would give it it's own look. To do this, I wanted to make the flower almost appear separate from the turtle, like two pictures in one. I decided the flower and the background would be created using transparent glass and the turtle from opaque glass. A beautiful piece of baroque glass, a very swirly pattern in an amethyst color was perfect for the flower. I cut it using the swirly pattern to make each petal looked almost 3d. The background needed to be a color that would offset both the amethyst of the flower and the black of the Hawaiian turtle and decided on a tropical blue glass.

From the simple suggestion of a "turtle" came a piece that not only reflected a turtle but gave it the sense of something else...tropical flowers, Hawaiian islands and blue waters.

THE NAMING OF MY GLASS - DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU SEE

When I started designing and creating my stained glass pieces, I wanted each to have it’s own name. A name that truly describes the piece. I have found that sometimes that is not so easy to do. Also, I found that some people see it 'different' than I do and they can come up with a name that I just don’t understand.

As you all know, I’ve been creating pieces of stained glass art with a geode slab in it. The first being named, “Moonset Behind Desert Mountains” because the color of that geode slab reminded me of the color of the moon setting behind the western mountains of Las Vegas. It fully described the piece.

Then came the second piece using a geode. I added a geode to a very simple prairie design and couldn’t come up with a fitting name. I showed it to Ed, my husband and he said he had the perfect name. In a confident tone, he told me to call it, “Moon on a Fork”. I just looked at him in disbelief. “Moon on a Fork”?? I laughed and then told him that he was no longer part of the ‘marketing department’ and could no longer name any of the pieces. I decided to name it, “Prairie with Geode 13”, being it was a prairie design with the 13th geode that I purchased from Gary’s Gem Garden. I posted a picture in my photo album on Facebook, listed it and sold it.

Last week I received an email from Craig, a friend of mine on Facebook. He asked if I had time to design a special piece that he wanted to give to his friends as a gift. He asked if I could design a piece similar to the, “Sausage on a Fork” (aka "Moon on a Fork") piece that I had posted but he wanted the sausage being held over an open grill. “Sausage on a Fork”?!? Really?? Someone else also saw something on a fork in my “Prairie with Geode 13”?? I laughed and figured it had to be a “man thing” since my husband also saw the fork. I couldn’t believe that these two men were reducing my ‘art’ to something on a fork.

But then I thought about it. Who says that art can’t be whimsical and fun and ridiculous? Thinking that my friend was kidding, I still decided to see what I could come up with just for fun. I sketched a design with an open grill, with a geode as a sausage on a fork being held over the hot coals of the grill. I scanned it, emailed it and instead of him just laughing, he said, "Sold!".

And yes, I have named it, “Sausage on a Fork”.

Craig is moving to another state soon and he is giving his friends this piece as a gift to remind them of all the great times they had grilling together. I hope that every time that they look at it, they smile and think of Craig, their friendship and the good times they had.

This piece may not be considered glass 'art' and may be considered just ridiculous but I'm okay with that as long as it brings a smile to someone's face and good thoughts to their mind. Isn't that what art really is about?

Oh and by the way, “Sausage on a Fork” will be the first of my “Man’s Line” of Stained Glass which all pieces will all be named by Ed, my husband and 'marketing' co-director.

ADDIE'S FLAMINGO

This is a special piece of stained glass that I've been working on for the last few days. It's for my mom's 80th birthday present. Why is this pink flamingo special? Well, there is a story behind it.....

About 25 years ago my mom mentioned that she hated when people would put the plastic pink flamingoes in their front yards. She thought that they were gaudy.

Not long after that, I came across 4 plastic pink flamingoes at a yard sale. I bought them and held them until the time was right. That time came a few months later when she and my dad went on vacation. Imagine her expression when they pulled up to the house in the transfer van from the airport and found that they now had 4 plastic pink flamingoes in their front lawn for all to see. My dad told me that her expression was priceless. And the fun torment began.

Since that time I have bought numerous pink flamingo items for my mom...a coffee mug, a pencil with a flamingo on top, a pen in the shape of a flamingo, bubble bath in a big pink flamingo bottle, Christmas ornaments, sugar & creamer set, etc.

After 25 years of this, she has come to expect the funny flamingo gift. And has apparently kept almost all of them (the flamingo bubble bath bottle was thrown away after the bubble bath ate through the plastic), though most of them are kept 'safe' in a box in her guest room closet.

So, of course to celebrate my Mom's 80th birthday and the silver anniversary of this flamingo fun (for me, anyway), I HAD to combine this fun with my art. I searched 'Flamingo' on the internet and looked at many photographs, paintings, and stained glass pieces. With all of these images I came up with my idea. I sketched it, printed it out and went to work.

First stop, to see Lee or Danny at the Glass Art Studio in Las Vegas where I buy all of my glass supplies. I needed to get the perfect piece of pink glass, something that would capture the look of the bird’s feathers. After going through most of their pink glass, with the help of Danny, I found it and hurried home. I tacked down the pattern, traced the pieces onto the glass and began cutting the pieces out. I found, to make the curves of the neck without breaking the glass, I would have to grind out the glass rather than cut it, in order to shape each piece just right. Once that was done, I wrapped the edge of each piece of glass with copper tape, then placed it on top of the tacked down pattern and put it together like a puzzle. I then soldered the copper tape with a flat bead of solder until all the pieces were now one. It went together beautifully. The next step was framing the piece. My husband, Ed is my ‘Master Framer’. He has the strength to cut the lead and to form it around the glass so there are no bumps. He had it done in no time and did a great job as usual. I then added the rings and the chain, washed it, put on the pewter patina and polished it to a nice shine.

Voila, Mom's 80th birthday gift, "ADDIE'S FLAMINGO".

Hopefully, this one hangs in a window and is not added to the 'safe' box in the closet.

** Note: I received an email today from my mom, “Addie’s Flamingo” is now hanging in the guest room. Though, now that I've read the email again, it doesn't specify where it is hanging in the guest room.

WORKING WITH GEODE SLICES

Each day that I try to come up with a new design for my next piece of stained glass, I try to do something a little different.

Recently, I've done that by adding a bit of nature into a few of my designs by adding a geode slice. These beautiful specimens of rock are cross cut to expose the crystal formations within, then polished to bring out its 'inner' beauty. Each geode slice has its own distinct personality with its crystal formation and the banding of color. What a beautiful addition to my stained glass they would make.

The first step was finding the 'perfect' slices. I called my favorite gem and rock store, Gary's Gem Garden in Cherry Hill, NJ. We have been customers of theirs for years and have bought everything from polished rocks to fine jewelry. Denise, his wife was a huge help in making sure I got the perfect geode slices for my work. I described what I wanted and how I was going to use each piece. She began her search through their inventory, looking for what I described, scanned each one and emailed the pictures to me within a day. Through this process, I bought ten geode slices in shades of blue and amber. I received them within a few days and they were even more beautiful in person. I couldn't wait to get started.

The next step was to start designing stained glass pieces that had the glass and each geode slice in mind. I wanted each to compliment the other. This takes some time.

My first design was using the amber piece shown above. It reminded me of the color of the moon, as it sets behind the western mountains of Las Vegas, in the early morning hours as the desert awakens to a new day. I quickly put my idea on paper. Next, I picked out the glass with shades and textures that best fit the sky, mountains and desert. What better way to use a piece of nature than to put it in a picture of nature?

Within a couple of days, I completed my first piece that incorporated the geode slice and glass.

"Moonset Behind Desert Mountains" - 8-1/2" x 11" - SOLD

The sky is a beautiful dark blue glass with small bubbles, it looks like a night sky with all of its stars. The mountains are black opaque glass to be in the shadows of the 'moon'. The desert is a piece of textured amber glass that looks like the sand dunes created by the desert breeze along with a piece of amber and green glass being the desert flora.

Currently, I'm working on two more pieces using geode slices. Another nature scene and a Prairie/Mission style pattern piece. I hope to have them finished and photos posted soon. And, of course, the designing of future pieces is never ending.

Stained Glass and Fused Glass

Here are some photographs of pieces that my husband and I have done. Some are for sale (check out www.ThoseInGlassHouses.etsy.com) some hang in our home, some were done as gifts for others, some have been sold and some are proto-types of upcoming custom work. I hope you enjoy them.

This is the project that started it all. Simple little windows done in the style and colors of our livingroom, hung from each other with short pieces of chain.

This is the window my husband made, that once hung in our guest room. It's the one my classmate and his wife bought for her mother for her 90th birthday.

I designed and created this 24" x 24" piece for a local firm. The "P" in the center is their company logo. The blocks of glass and their colors were based on the decor of their new office. They are having it mounted on a light box and hung in their receptionist area.

These smaller 5" x 7" pieces were done for our daughter's wedding. She carried mango calla liles, we matched the color of her flowers using a beautiful piece of reddish-orange glass. We also added a base so they could sit on a table and with a votive candle on the base they lit up beautifully.

I love symmetrical graphic art (after years of being a drafter for engineering firms) and wanted to mix it with the free flow of the fused glass. This piece is for sale.

This is a glass bowl that my husband created. He decided to do a simple design of stripes and speckles to make this beautiful piece. This piece is for sale.

Now for my proto-types. I envision recreating a child's art in glass. Children's art is simple in line and color but we all hold it so close to our hearts when its done by our own child.

I started with two pieces that my daughter did when she was younger. The original pieces are in the frames and the glass is positioned next to it so you can see that I've come very close to recreating it in fused glass.

The cut out of paper reindeer was done when she was 4 and in pre-school. I'm going to have the glass slumped into a rectangular dish that I can serve Christmas goodies on.

I recreated our daughter's painting of "Our Garden" that she did when she was 6, using glass frit (course glass sand). I used frit to make the picture brighter and translucent. I haven't decided yet if I want to have this piece slumped into a bowl or into a small vase.

If you wish to have a piece of stained glass or fused glass for your home or to have a piece of your child's art recreated in glass, please feel free to contact me and we can discuss that 'unique' piece just for you.

Prices: Email for more information

Welcome to Those In Glass Houses....

My husband and I have been creating stained glass and mosaic in glass for over 4 years and fused glass for 2 years. It started with only wanting to make one window to decorate the side view next to our front door. But as soon as I cut that first piece of glass, I knew this was the art form I wanted to put my energy and imagination into.

So, it became our hobby.....A gift for a friend, a piece for all the guests at our daughter's wedding, a larger piece for in our guest room and another for our master bathroom (that is my calla lily window at the upper right of this blog) so it went. Then people wanted to buy our work. A friend asked me to make a special piece for her home. An old classmate & his wife bought the guest room piece for a birthday gift for her mother. A friend of a friend wanted a piece done for her home. We were so excited that our glass pieces were actually selling. But it was so hard to keep up while we worked full time.

Then I became a victim of the economy. I was laid off from my job like so many others. A friend of mine, trying to cheer me up, said, "When one door closes, another opens". My husband laughed and said, "There you go, honey. You love doing the stained and fused glass, why not work on selling some of it and starting a business."

And here I am with the support of my husband, my daughter and son-in-law, my family and so many friends, I'm going for it. But to do that I need a catchy name. So, begins, Those in Glass Houses...

I currently have a few of my pieces listed on Etsy, a website that specializes in the buying and selling of anything home made. Check out my shop:

www.ThoseInGlassHouses.etsy.com

I'll also post some pictures of the pieces I've done that are not on Etsy. These are not for sale, they either hang in our home or were given as gifts or previously sold. But if you have an idea for that 'special' piece for your home or for a gift, there's always custom work. Contact me, we'll discuss what you are looking for and I'll do my best to accomplish it.

I'm especially excited about perfecting my technic to recreate a child's art in glass. What a wonderful gift it would be for a mom, dad or grandparent.

I took a class on how to set up your retail business online and that will be my next step.....a web page. I'll keep you posted as to when it will be up and running.

Now.........out to my studio to make another piece of 'art' in glass.