New paintings and regular art updates.
One of my glass pieces. I didn’t have room to put them on the stall today. They are quite chunky so I’ve done some smaller pieces which are going to have rings put on them to hang off chains, laces, or ribbons.
Being creative is hard work, but I enjoy it too much to be bothered about that. I just keep doing things. I wonder whether I can continue for a few more years?
Someone wants to buy one of the glass necklaces I made. She wants a definite one. But in the time period since she saw it and asked me to keep it she can’t remember which one it is. I did wrap it up but I don’t know if I put it on display again at my last craft fair, in which case I might be wrong. I want to be a helpful seller. I care about people getting what they asked for. I hope I’ve found it!
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Day 16…only 15 to go. I’ve enjoyed doing these so far. I’m even drawing them early! Last year I kept adding pictures late.
The glass should be fired in the next couple of days, then I shall have pieces I can turn into smaller necklaces. I loved being able to do it, but the lady who runs the workshops is moving away. I shall have to find someone else who does it, or the pieces I did today will be my last experiment in this craft.
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Just been making some more glass work. I used some more dichroic glass to add some sparkle and interesting effects. Now waiting to be fired by my friend Angela who ran the workshop. Hopefully they will come out nice and I can use them for jewellery. Each piece is about half the size of previous ones I’ve done.
What a long weekend! Two days manning the pop up exhibition at Etruria. I didn’t have much time to look at the static steam engines on display yesterday or the classic cars today. The place wasn’t buzzing but there was a constant stream of people coming in. Most of them were interested in what we were doing, what the building used to be used for, or decided to let their children make things with clay. A few people walked in took one look and walked out again. Sometimes they even asked where the tea room was.
Etruria Artists had paintings, photos, ceramics, jewellery and even painted stones on display. It was good to share the space with other artists there. I even bought a pottery frog, a mug and a whale.
So many people to talk to, to help, to explain to. I also helped a bit children with modelling clay. My friends usually do this and I just helped when they were not around. We made frogs and ladybirds, and an owl. Sadly I didn’t take any photos of the pieces as I forgot my phone.
Thanks to my friend Angela Ashton whose glass workshop I attended to make these glass cabochons and my friend Debbie Travis whose wire weaving skills produced the wire supports for them. I have to say they came out beautifully. Now all I’ve got to try and do is sell them!
I went to a glass workshop with my friend Angela Ashton at Spode today. I’ve previously made square or oblong pieces but today I had a go at curving the edges to make round glass cabochons. I was allowed to use a glass grinding machine to create the curves. Then you place coloured glass on top in strips and small pieces. I used some glass with a special shiny sheen, dichromic I think it was called. As you tip it in the light it changes colour.
At the end of the workshop I decided to create a long coloured strip that could be hung up in a window. I’m hoping this will be an interesting piece. I used clear and opaque glass in horizontal layers over the top of a long transparent oblong. Once the coloured pieces were laid on and tacked in place with glue I placed clear glass in vertical strips on top. Each of these will prevent air getting to the glass. When the glass is exposed to high temperatures it can change colour due to chemical reactions including oxidisation. The heat fuses the glass together.
I should get the resulting pieces in a few days. Then I will go back and may make holes in them using a diamond bit drill so they can hang up or be turned into necklaces.
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