Back to the Torch

I've been finding less and less time to torch these days. It's hard with the weather being so nice to not spend the time outside playing with the kids now that they are getting older. I did find some time this last week on some rainy days to get down to the studio and melt some glass. Here are a couple of the beads I made this week:

I hope you all are enjoying the summer weather! More glass to come =)

Relay For Life 2009

The fun never ends here. I've been keeping really busy. This year I'm participating in Relay for Life put on by the American Cancer Society. We started a team through my real life job and I'm even the team captain. The walk is this Saturday from 6 pm - 6 am on Sunday. If anyone wants more information you can click here for my donation page.

I created a necklace to go into the silent auction for this event:
That's not the best picture but you get the idea. It's made with my handmade lampworked beads, sterling silver, pink opal, quarts, and Swarovski crystals.

I hope all of you have a chance to do something good for someone else. It sure makes you feel good!!

Have a wonderful day!

Bead & Button Show 2009

What a wonderful bead show!!! I had a blast yesterday! First of all it was amazing to meet some of my wonderful co-artists in glass, better known as my glass friends. It is so great to be able to hug a friend after 3 years of communication over cyber space. That alone made my day.

Samma, Me, Mallory

But then I got to see so many amazing glass artists! These are big name people in the glass world. I have to say how impressed I was at how very friendly these people were. They are so full of knowledge. I wish I could have spent more time with each and every one of them.

I came home with some goodies! A boro dragon made by Louise Wilson (a.k.a. Dirty Louie), a bee-bug-bead by Sharon Peters, a fairy pendant by Diane Hawkey, A gorgeous gift bead from Samma Parcels. I also got beads that were in my B&B bag from Unicorne Beads, Inc, Along with a good heaping pile of gemstone, shell and seed beads.

Dragon by Dirty Louie

Bee-Bug Bead by Sharon Peters

Pendant by Diane Hawkey

Samma Parcels Bead

Catch up

Today I just want to take sometime to fill you in on what I've been up to since it seems like it's been so long since my last blog.

First I took a trip in May out to see my best friend out by Boston MASS. That was so fun. Then I took a train down to NYC and met up with four of my glass friends. We spent two days walking around and exploring Manhattan before heading to NJ where we all spent time torching together. That was great!! We each demonstrated different bead styles and techniques. What a learning experience!! If you are ever in a slump go work with someone else in your art. It is very inspiring.

Since returning home work and family have kept me hopping. As well as custom orders that I am very thankful for and an art show this past weekend.

This weekend coming up is the Bead and Button Show up in Madison WI. I can't wait to go to it! Not only will there be a massive amount of beads and glass supplies to shop, but many of my glass friends will be there!!! I can't wait to meet them in person!

Here is a little set of shells I recently made, inspired by my torching time with my friend Maggie and the beach on Cape Cod:

I hope you all have a fantastic day!

Art Club Rocks!!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of doing a glass demonstration for the DeKalb High School Art Club. Talk about fun!!! We started with a small fusing demonstration and each student (and teachers too) put together a little 1 x 2 inch fused glass piece that they can either make into a pendant later or a magnet.

Next I fired up the old hot head torch and did a lampworking demonstration. I was super impressed at the students ambition of wanting to make the advanced sculptural beads like the ones I showed as some examples but we had to start with baby steps. Each student had a turn at making a bead. Above you see the beads that the students and teachers made. Pretty good for first timers!!!

It was a great opportunity. I had a lot of fun doing this and I hope to be back there next year for another demonstration!!

Art Goal

What is your goal in creating art? What drives you to create what you create?

I have recently had to send my camera in to be repaired so I had to dig out the old one and use it to take a few pictures of some of my recent work. Here are two focal beads that I was really happy with:

The reason I am so happy with these two beads is the motion that has been captured in this organic style. My goal in my art beads recently is to capture motion. The top bead reminds me of cherry blossoms. I really am drawn to nature in beads as well.

So what is your goal for your art?

Copper Leaf in Beads

I have been playing with copper leaf in my beads. The first on the left in the photo below was my first attempt. It is turquoise blue and ghee (cim) wrapped with the copper leaf and then super heated. The middle bead is turquoise with some white and transparent turquoise blobbed on. I did not heat the bead enough to fully cook in the copper so I ended up with some grey spots. I added the transparent raised dots to see what it would look like encased in parts - there was no difference under the encasing. I may etch this bead to see how that makes it look. The bead on the far right is bubblegum pink wrapped in copper leaf. I added a few scribbles of silvered ivory to see what would happen. I love the blue/gree color on this one. This bead is my favorite. I used a base of periwinkle and added a few swipes of opal yellow. I super heated this one very well. I just love the green color the copper made on the opal yellow! I squished the bead and added some flowers down the sides.

Copper leaf is fun to play with. I just suggest being cautious with breathing it in because it can be harmful. Also you want to really super heat it. It takes some time to really cook it in. It will spark in the flame which is kind of fun to watch.

That is it for now. I broke my camera and I have to send it in to get it fixed so I'm not sure when I'll have more pictures.

But for now, have a great weekend!!!!