Stitch And His Ride

   Elicia's  birthday panel is all done except for the wood frame. The plating worked well. I like the bevelled border too. The water is Uroboros ring mottle, plated by a very light green muffle glass, which was also used in the border. Those features will have more impact when the glass is in direct sunlight.

Little Tiny Stitches

   I really really don't like cutting tiny pieces. Stitch's feet are just little tiny toes. I'm glad I have them all done. The first layer is cut. Now to foil them, get it soldered, and cut out the back layer for the plating.
 

Elicia's Lilo and Stitch

   My granddaughter Elicia found an image that she asked me to make for her. It's a Disney image of Lilo and Stitch, so is off limits to make for sale, but I can make it and gift it to Elicia for her birthday.
















This one is a challenge, because I will either need to plate the glass or fuse it for the underwater portion. I've had very little experience plating glass, and no experience fusing it. I'll need to do some reading on both to decide the best course of action.
   The primary work is done on the pattern, but I will need to refine it.

Thinking Clearly

    There are those that would say that most teenagers do not think clearly.  I'm here to tell you differently.
    Both my granddaughters are very artistic.  When she was 13, Serena drew a sketch that fascinated me, both because it was thoughtful and because it was different. I asked her if I could use her artwork to create a stained glass panel.
    "Nona, why do you even ask?"  She said.
    "Because artist to artist, I need your permission to use your original artwork, even though it may look a little differently when it's done. It's still your concept, and because it's the polite thing to do."
    Insert teen eye roll here.









    So three years later, I managed to get it done.  I used teal green waterglass, dark blue waterglass, clear baroque glass, and brown streaky granite glass. Then I soldered some steel bicycle gears on the back side.  The style is definitely all Serena. I'm just the glass cutter.
   Serena's "Thinking Clearly".

Out Of This World

   Well I'm pretty happy with how Pillars Of Creation turned out. I debated on putting a bevel border around the whole thing, and finally decided against it. Really, the contrast between the dark blue water glass and the interiors of the geodes is amazing, and when it's in the full sunlight, oh my...it's out of this world!

A Change of Direction

  Instead of starting Serena's piece, I got sidetracked in a different direction...actually a different galaxy.I have become entranced with a photo from NASA's Hubble telescope, nicknamed The Pillars Of Creation. I've been trying to figure out how to make it in glass. Should I plate it? Sandblast? While in Angel's Camp last month I bought a pile of agate slices at an amazing rock shop, StoriesInStone.com and I think it's a perfect compromise. Today I worked on the pattern and will probably start cutting glass next week.

The Glass Addiction

  I thought I could put the glass away for the winter, especially after finishing the huge project for the church. That lasted about a month, and I found myself hauling it all out again.
   Last year I bought a metal cutout of an Egan dital harp, with the intent of including it into a stained glass piece. Since my design process is a little regimented, I tried for a looser feel for this piece. I don't know that I nailed it, but it was a fun piece to make.

    Just as I began working on the church windows last year, a woman in Seattle contacted me about making a panel for a bathroom in their Bed and Breakfast. I had to ask her to wait since I was committed to the church project. I just finished the panel Molly's Iris, last week. The colors are subtle in ambient light, but absolutely glow with direct light.

   Next....something inspired by my granddaughter Serena's artwork. Stay tuned.