Let's Get This Putty Started!!

So we can get it over with already!
Wow! I thought that cutting all the tiny pieces of glass was tedious. Now, I think that puttying all the little, itty, bitty, teeny, tiny spaces around the wee pieces of glass is more so!

This is definitely a messy job, but a friend of mine has stated, "Art should be messy!" :) Well, then, this is a masterpiece!

I've finished putty-ing perhaps one half of one side. These first two pictures show the putty that has been applied and already cleaned up a bit with a toothpick to reuse some of the putty that was clumped on.

This third picture shows the edges that still need putty, just for reference. So, I had thought that I may go into the studio today to continue putty-ing. But, when I work my "real" job in the evenings, it's hard to commit the other half of my day to the studio. So, if I have a spare moment, after Todd and I run to the store to pick up pizza and salad fixin's, I may head out to the garage to cut some strips of glass for my next plate.

All done soldering...

The Beginning Fused Glass class is finished, so with tonight's Tuesday night Independent Study session, I both began and finished soldering the joints of my Frank Lloyd Wright Stained Glass Window. Now, all I do is putty and polish!
Unfortunately, my fiance and myself both are of the opinion that "our" (read "his") camera is dying. Not only has it stopped registering preview mode, it is only taking smaller pictures. What this means to you and me? No detail shots:(
But, on the plus side, look how fabulously perfect and clean my solder joints are! Of course, no one can prove me wrong, so I must be right:)
I may go in tomorrow to begin putty-ing. However, seeing as how I set my own schedule,

I may feel like playing with glass in the garage, beginning one of the myriad of projects I have lined up.
Also, tomorrow is gym day. I love going to the climbing gym here in Napa (Rockzilla) with Todd! My arms are really getting some definition; I can see triceps! I absolutely hate exercise for exercise's sake. Thus, I play soccer and climb walls:)

Ready to Solder!

Woo-hoo! This morning's three hour studio session witnessed me finishing the final pieces of lead being cut and placed...
I've almost finished cutting the zinc edge came with the handy dandy little powerhouse saw that Michele has at the studio, and everything fits perfectly.
Being so close to being done makes me begin to dream about my next project.
So far, I've got a couple of kilncasting ideas, four stained glass windows to choose from, a bag of bottles to etch, strips of glass to cut for my next plate idea...
Hmmm...where to begin? At the beginning?

Zipping right along...

Well, it won't be long before I'm ready to solder the joints of the lead came together.

Tuesday, I worked for another three hours in the studio and finished almost all of the mitred cuts that are left to make in the came.
I imagine that I'll finish up on this coming Tuesday.
Then, it's time to pull out the solder.
After that, I'll putty, then polish...
Yea! I'm so close to being done.

I'm getting ready to start my next piece already!

Prairie Window Continued...

I'm getting quicker! Yesterday, in the three hour period that I was in the studio, I finished almost the entire (center left) row of diamonds and small mitred cuts of lead pictured here:


The previous row took me twice as long! To see previous stages check here and here and here and lastly, here.

Each time I go into the studio to work on the piece, I devote a three hour period to working on the window. If I stay longer, my patience thins, and I start to make imprecise cuts. Yesterday, however, I felt as if I could keep on going. But, I stopped nonetheless.

Just looking at the pictures makes me want to get into the studio and work on the piece some more... I think I may be coming addicted to leaded stained glass!

Frank Lloyd Wright Prairie Window

Still working on the window.
I went into the studio today for another three hours.

So, I did get more done in this session than I did last week. Plus, I cleaned out the bottoms of the glass grinders. They needed it!

Yesterday, I worked at home in my garage studio.
I soldered some more pendants, plus I worked on these nifty window tassels:

This is an updated photo, so you'll also notice the beaded suncatcher I recently made hanging in the middle along with a glass ball made by Saint Helena glass artist Ed Breed.

The triangles are purple and cream and look great in the sunroom!

I go back to the studio later tonight. But, before I leave, I'm going to thumb through a book I checked out at the library about Tibetan symbols and meanings. I've got a great idea for some stained glass prayer flags...

View of a Prairie Window

I've been wanting to take pictures of the Frank Lloyd Wright Prairie Window that I've been working on for the last month, but keep forgetting to bring the camera with me when I'm at the studio. Then last week, I remembered to take the camera to the studio to take pictures of my window all cut up, but alas! I forgot the camera battery.

So, I began leading the window, figuring it will be awhile before I finish. I'm bound to get a picture of it at some point. Of course, I was right! It will take awhile before I finish.
Here are the before pictures I took at the studio on Tuesday:

Tuesday afternoons, from 11:00am to 2:00pm, are Independent Study times. In three hours, this is what I accomplished:
See the little area in the middle? The approximately 3" by 7" area with all the mitred cuts, and tiny pieces?!? Yup, this will definitely take awhile to finish.
Fortunately, it's a somewhat meditative process, and I enjoy it - in 3 hour sessions.

Previous posts:
http://www.calyxann.com/2007/04/picture-of-prairie-window.html

On my way to the studio...

Yesterday, I finally finished cutting all the pieces for my Frank Lloyd Wright window that I'm working on for the studio. Yea! I'll remember to take my camera today, I hope, so that I can get some pictures up here!

Today, I want to go and play with glass and make some plates and bowls with the new molds that Michele picked up down in Vegas, baby!

Oh, and, if I remember this as well, I've got some plates sitting around that I've been wanting to get online as well. I'll go get that done right now! See you soon!

A Picture of a Prairie Window

Found an image of the original piece from which the pattern I am working from is drawn.

Here's the photo.

The piece resides in the Barton House and is in a door of a dining room oak buffet. It's hard to tell what the color scheme is based on the photo, but I think it's a light blue...
I am using Chicago Art Glass that Michele Mitcavish has been hoarding since her Delphi Glass days. Chicago Art Glass reproduces glass that looks like the glass that Frank Lloyd Wright originally used in his stained glass pieces.
I'm getting very close to being finished, with the cutting of glass. Then, I only need to lead, solder, putty, and polish! Is that all?!?