CREATING A "THOSE IN GLASS HOUSES..." LOGO

When I decided on Those In Glass Houses... as my company name, I never realized how hard it would be to design a logo that could be recreated in glass. I didn't want to just make a simple house of glass but instead, something 'artsy'. I sketched and sketched and kept coming up with these abstract designs that my husband would ask, "So? What is it?"

This went on for a couple of weeks. Then it hit me....do a simple house of glass. Why didn't I think of that before? (Said with sarcasm)

I didn't want it too simple. I wanted it a bit more dramatic. Simple and dramatic said, "Black and clear" to me. I decided to use a variety of textured clear glass for the house and roof and black for everywhere else.

One half of the house would be a 4" square beveled glass with four pieces of "crackled" glass around it, the window from which ideas come.

The other half of the house would be a variety of textured clear glass, the "building blocks", the building of creativity into reality.

The roof would be one solid piece of clear "reeded" glass to tie the two halves of the house together. Bringing ideas and creativity together to make a stained glass piece.

Now that I had the house designed, I wanted to add something that showed even more about my designs. Since I love working on pieces that incorporate geode slices, I decided on adding my favorite geode slice. A piece I bought this past summer while back in NJ for my mom's 80th birthday.

I added this beautiful geode slice to the upper left of the house. It looked as if the moon was shining down on this house of glass. The colors in the geode were perfect for this piece. The outer rings being an amber that just glowed and a crystallized center that looked like clean crackled ice. Again, many thanks to Gary's Gem Garden in Cherry Hill, NJ for having the perfect geodes for my work.

Once this design came to me, it flowed. I sketched it and then recreated it in the Glass Eye 2000 software. As much as it was perfect, there was still something missing. When I find that one of my designs isn't quite "right", I show it to four people, my husband, my daughter, my mom and my friend, Jan. The four of them have a knack for helping me through these "blocks". All four of them said the same thing, "you need some color to showcase the colors you use". I was afraid color would take away from the dramatic look I was going for. But one think I've learned, when you ask for advice and you get it, try it. It might surprise you. So, I tried it.

To add color to such a piece, I needed to stick with the simple. I decided on the basic primary colors of yellow, blue and red. A rough rolled golden yellow, a water cobalt blue, and a wispy red glass. Primary in color but a touch of texture.

Once they were cut and laid on the board with the rest of the glass, I knew that's exactly what my window needed. Thank you Ed, Bridget, Mom and Jan. Love to you all.

To frame the piece, I wanted simple so not to take attention away from the house and the geode. I designed on a simple black and "granite" glass frame around it. It was perfect.

VOILA!!!! Those in Glass Houses... logo in glass.

This logo is now on my website home page as well as going on my business cards. The actual window will be taken with me and hung at every art show or exhibit that I attend. I'm currently working with "Glass Impressions" in Las Vegas to have a piece of the "granite" glass etched with my company name. I will frame it the same as the window and hang it from the bottom of the Those In Glass Houses... window.