The Rose...

April 21 was my birthday :-)...

My son JR, ( 26 father of 4 with a lovely young wife Jen) came into the Creamery (the gallery where I work) toting this lovely LOOOOOOOOOONG stemmed red rose.

I had a customer at the time, and she was amazed that such a young person was considerate enough to remember his moms birthday WITH a rose!

His consideration towards me was gift enough to remember me with a rose is just one of those "forever" moments!!

He reads my blog...Thank you Weeze! :-)

Updating...

New projects are slow developing on the studio table these days. Mostly I am working to finish the Homestead project; Laura boxes and then the panoramic scene boxes. Painting and firing takes a long time to accomplish so things seem to stand still for the parties awaiting the finished product. In-between wait stages I try to accomplish something for a gallery or the museum show in August or one of the show/sales I have booked for this season. So I AM busy working!

Here is the roosters I made up earlier in a box, changed to a panel. They weren't so well received as a box but really have an impact as a panel.

These were not "painted" I used crushed glass to create the picture. The glass is crushed and then sifted to get the smallest powder and smallest chunks (the rest put to the side for future use) to sprinkle on the substrate...then fused it in the kiln. The result is a good example of this technique.

They do look better as a panel, than as a box.

New Class

The new class went very well!
Deb caught on nicely to scoring the glass and reaching for the appropriate tools she broke the pieces well then, moved onto her first practice piece.
Next week she will finish that and begin her "real" project...a bluebird on a branch.

Janet is moving along nicely with vitreous painting skills. She has begun shading and did nicely with that...her efforts are in the kiln this evening..they will become projects soon.

The kiln also holds 4 of the next phase lids for the Homestead. This was the first stage for these lids...giving them the depth Ms Ann craves, will take a couple of firings but I do think these will make a fabulous product for her...everyone will be pleased with that!

Stay tuned!!!

Updating Time

Last week I accomplished several boxes and completed the platter

"Trails".

The platter depicts South Dakota with a focus on the Lewis and Clark trail that led to Pierre, SD. In Pierre the trail of the railroad went through, fur bearers festival commemorated the trappers year, the steamboat brought goods up the Missouri river, Buffalo roamed, Indians roamed, and Lewis and Clark notated everything. The wolf depicts the fur bearers, a buffalo, the steamboat, the train, Pheasant, are all mixed into this platter. Many layers overlap to hopefully give the piece a collage look. I wanted to also give the piece a subdued look through the colors I see looking over the landscape of South Dakotas terrain. This closeup is about the best i can get with the camera I am using. The piece is seen the same from both sides and it is translucent.
Accomplished also this week were several boxes. I tried to get close pictures of the soldering to show the intricate complexities that can be achieved manipulating the solder using temperature controls. This is called decorative soldering (technical term).

Then the other boxes I finished this week.

Janet and I also began phase two of the Homestead order. Project homestead landscape including Ma's house a wagon and then the school. I'll just post the first firing of the lids next. They need to be fired yet.

Have a student today...yea!

We are Baaack

Back from Texas...and of course come Tuesday it is supposed to SNOW since I have the box appointment!
Just figures it will snow...the snow the last time cancelled our appointment to begin with.
You would think I could get a tiny break here, maybe it will decide to co-operate and hold off until I get through.
The platter is coming along...after I fire it today I will get an update photo.
I added a Pheasant to the weak corner, that helped round out South Dakota's trivia samples.
A few more lids will be finishing up to make 'for sale' boxes that will be on the road this summer at art festivals throughout SD. They will be shown at a later posting. More later...