High Plains Community Schools Residency Recap

During the last week of September and the first week of October, 2012, I was able to work with High Plains Community Schools in Polk and Clarks, Nebraska through the Nebraska Arts Council Artists in Schools and Communities program. AiS/C makes grant money available as matching funds for school and community projects. If you're interested in learning more about the program, their website has lots of helpful info.

Finished mosaic panels : 9th-12th graders
102" x 36", glass & mirror mosaic

For the first week, I stayed with my gracious hosts Peggy and Maynard in Hordsville, Nebraska, a short 10 minute drive to the Polk High School, where I worked with grades 4 & 5 on fused glass sun catchers and grades 9-12 on the mosaic panel pictured above.

Mosaic Inspirations

Mosaic Inspirations, a gallery on Flickr.

I put together a mini gallery on flickr to assist with classroom discussions of the mosaic design and creation process.
You can view the gallery and discussion questions by clicking on the Mosaic Inspirations link.

Glass Gospel

Daily Nebraskan journalist, Kelsey Lee came over for a visit a few weeks ago. I showed her some different glass techniques and talked about why I love glass. Check out the great video she put together!

Glass Gospel from Daily Nebraskan on Vimeo.

Riley Residency Recap

Earlier this year, I worked with a local elementary school in Lincoln, Nebraska to create a collaborative piece of artwork to hang in the school. The students dubbed it "The Legendary Glass Art of the 2nd and 3rd graders of Riley Elementary."

Miss Mollie Magnuson created a wonderful video of the experience, and I wanted to share it with you:

I love working with the kiddos! It's especially rewarding to hear them say, "When I grow up, I want to be a glass artist!"

A Message for You...

Source: Uploaded by user via Random House on Pinterest

I just finished reading The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh and I have not been able to stop thinking about flowers and the messages they bear. Well, they used to bear...
In today's bustle, the language of flowers has been all but forgotte. But, thanks to Vanessa Diffenbaugh, there's a re-awakening. And, being a former Horticulture student but forever a plant lover, I could not put this book down. Now, I'm thinking of the messages I could hide in my yard...

AND, since tomorrow is Mother's Day, I wanted to pass along the message that there are e-cards bearing flower messages available on the book's website. So, go get a card for your mom!

Frit Mandalas Using Glassline and No Days Liquid Fusing Adhesive

If you're interested in purchasing the plates below, they're currently for sale at the Noyes Art Gallery in downtown Lincoln through the month of April. After that, perhaps I'll list them on Etsy. Contact me if you're interested.

Ready to fire in the kiln

No Days Liquid Fusing Adhesive can be used with frits to easily create complex designs. In this set of Mandala plates, I've added Glassline Pens to the mix to add extra layers and dimensionality.

Base layer of clear becomes the clear cap

How to Make Dichroic Purse Hangers

Materials:

Assortment of System 96 dichroic from Slumpy's

Slumpy's new bracelet finding, and Aanraku key fob and purse hanger

No Days Bailbond and a heat gun

Affairs of the 'Art at Noyes Focus Gallery in April

I'm an associate member at the Noyes Gallery in Lincoln, Nebraska, where I have lots of glass jewelry to peruse. But this April, I'll be joining six other artists in the Focus Gallery! That means I'll have some larger pieces available!

Thanks to Doug for the pedestals

artVenture 2012 Fused Glass Plates

"Garden Plaid"

This year's group of Girl Scouts met me at Architectural GlassArts again for our fused glass collaborations. Girls age 8-16 years old participated, with most of the girls being in the 10-12 year old range.

Vintage Chanel Chain Glass Link Jewelry

Martini with Olives Necklace

Ta da! I've finally started using all the fabulous vintage 1970s era Chanel chain that I picked up at the Society for American Mosaic Artists conference in Lexington, Kentucky a month ago!

Faux Brown Stone Necklace

The chain caught my eye right away because I knew it would complement the oval cast glass links that I've been creating. These are now listed for sale in my Etsy shop, so head over and pick one up. These are truly one-of-a-kind. When the chain is gone, there's nowhere to get more!

Faux Turquoise Necklace

Riley Elementary Residency in Fused Glass

Mrs. Northup started the kids on their fused glass journals before the project started

I recently completed a month long residency with the 2nd and 3rd grade classes at Riley Elementary School in Lincoln, Nebraska. Funding for the project was provided by grants from Americorps and the Nebraska Arts Council, with Miss Mollie Magnuson of the Lincoln Arts Council (& Americorps) organizing the whole thing!

Cutting glass is fun!

Before starting with the first week's project of cutting glass, Mrs. Northup guided the class in creating both "I'm a Glass Artist" books (to document the process, and in teacher-speak...'Making Learning Visible'), as well as getting them started on a sketch...a highly detailed sketch that filled an entire sheet of paper!

Valentine's Date Night at the LUX - fused glass plates

The Party Table!

What better way to spend Valentine's Day, than hanging out with your sweetie and being creative with glass?!? That's what we did this year at the LUX Center for the Arts in historic University Place, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Christy and Carl with an OU plate?

Six couples joined me for music, treats and fused glass fun! We all worked on plates (and pendants or sun catchers).

More Snowflakes at the LUX

For the second session of fused glass snowflakes this year at the LUX Center for the Arts, we weren't at the LUX! Winterfest 2011 was in full throttle at the LUX, so we were fortunate enough to be able to use a conference room at Ayers and Ayers, Inc. The facilities were incredible, as it's a LEED certified building structure and just has some pretty amazing technology!

I was not the only one who loved the digital "dry erase" board :)

After we finished sketching out our ideas on the board, we sat down to puzzle out our pieces, beginning with the templates for our snowflakes...

Drawing out the templates for our snowflakes.

Next, we needed to get busy measuring and cutting our strips of glass...

Assembling Fused Glass Windchimes

Fused Glass Snowflakes at the LUX

The fused glass holiday season has begun 

at the LUX Center for the Arts!

   My first group of students for the season was ready to jump right in! I got lots of great photos of them all working...Since all of the students are newbies and it's a short family class, the easiest way to get started is to use mosaic nippers and cut strips down to glue together in a snowflake pattern.

Getting started...

My favorite part of these classes is seeing the color combos that everyone chooses...

Color Play with Glass Links

Making these glass link bracelets is somewhat addicting, as I pull out the frit, the molds and the scale to play a bit of mad scientist!

 

After pulling out my supplies (spoon, cups, scale, frits and molds), I begin mixing up colors depending on my mood. Sometimes my inspiration is a flower, or a dress, or even wedding invitations! BUT... 

Kaneko at Lauritzen Gardens

To celebrate Omaha's Lauritzen Gardens 10th Anniversary, Jun Kaneko has many of his wonderful large scale ceramics on display throughout the grounds. My husband and I were lucky enough to catch the exhibit before the closing.

Although I was a horticulture major in college, I'd never been to the Lauritzen Gardens. I graduated and moved away from Nebraska before the botanical gardens in Omaha had opened. And, most of my visits back to Nebraska were for the Christmas holiday to see my family. So, I was excited when we not only had an excuse to be in Omaha already (my friend Malindi's wedding), but there were these marvelous sculptures on display, as well.

Glassline Paints on Clear Glass

Got a bunch of clear glass scrap & wish you could dress it up a bit?

Need a bunch of color, but can't afford all of them?

I love using Glassline paints to create patterned glass and this technique is one of the easiest ways to get a complicated look. Shake the bottles well and add water if you need to thin them out. Use a skewer if you need to stir. I always start my line in an extra bowl, to make sure that the consistency is right. This bowl becomes my bowl o' brown. All of those colors mix and dry in the bowl, then when I want a brown wash, I add water and brush it on the glass.

Here come the brides...

My great friend, Malindi, recently got married to her soulmate, Michaela. They're so cute together. It was a beautiful ceremony and a great party afterwards. I made them a little extra gift for their wedding that tied in the colors of their special day. So, they can wear these buttercream and blue bracelets and think back to the night they made their bond official.

Love you girls and have a great time in Thailand!!!

Slumpfest 2011

This year's Slumpfest (the 2nd Annual) at Slumpy's in Belmont, NC was an absolute blast! The 2 day workshop focused on Pattern Bar Techniques, Layered Dichroic Tiles for Jewelry Making, and Frit Painting with NO Days Liquid Fusing Adhesive.

Nicole picked me up at the airport; it took a few texts and phone calls to find out that we were actually standing right next to each other at the baggage claim! After we searched for the car in the parking garage - "Which aisle did I park in?" muttered Nicole - we headed to Slumpy's to unpack and set up for some fun!