A Glassline Garden

This weekend, I downloaded and watched the entire first season of Downton Abbey. While watching, I was also working on a new set of Glassline painted pendants.

In mid February, I'm going to be a vendor at the Greater Greenville Master Gardeners Annual Convention, so I wanted to have some fresh flower pendants by then.

These are really fun for me. I usually start with a piece of black or brown glass as a base. Glassline paint is water-based and has kind of a gloppy, chalky feel consistency that can be thinned with water, but after a lot of practice I am starting to get a feel for working with it.

Sunflower with a Purple Background

Pendant Name

Pendant Name

Pink Sunflower

SOLD

Gray Sunflower

Pendant Name

Daisy Spiral

SOLD

Pendant Name

 

So I have this Facebook Page...

A few months ago, I started a Facebook Page for LeisaWorks. I had spoken to several friends at art festivals, and they told me it was something that I needed to do. I'm still not exactly sure what it is I should use it for. it seems that I mostly still blog and link my blog posts to it. As a result, I don't have the most exciting FB page, but that goes for my personal FB page too.

I also started a "contest" that involved getting 100 "likes" and then giving away a pendant. I didn't realize how long it would take to get 100 "likes" though, I think I was overly optimistic. However, I'm at 83 now and closing the gap. The pendant below is what I hope to give away before Valentines's Day. If I still don't have the magic 100 by then, I may have to give away something more generic. I have learned to setup my "contests" differently in the future. I'm not sure exactly how yet, maybe comments on a specific post or photo, a time limit, etc.

Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions on what I should use my Facebook page for, I'm open to your ideas! And, if you are not among the 83 who currently like my FB page, then please click over to facebook.com/LeisaWorks to add to my number and have a chance to win the pendant.

Sweet and Swift

The tile above was created especially for Kara. She wanted a redbird, but also requested a more muted palette than some of my other pieces. I tend to gravitate toward bright, bold color and pattern. This piece was created by hand painting a piece of black Wismach glass with Glassline paint. I love the wonderful way these paints handle - thinned with water they take on a lovely watercolor quality when fired.

This piece also reminded me of this poem by Robert Frost. It seems whenever I post a poem, it is by Frost. Something about his work resonates with me. I am always touched by the imagery he uses. I feel like I am there seeing and feeling what he saw and felt. After reading a short biography on him, I was also deeply touched by the hardships he endured during his life.

Looking For a Sunset Bird in Winterby Robert Frost
The breath of air had died of cold,
When shoeing home across the white, I thought I saw a bird alight.
In summer when I passed the place
I had to stop and lift my face; The west was getting out of gold,
A bird with an angelic gift Was singing in it sweet and swift. No bird was singing in it now. A single leaf was on a bough, And that was all there was to see In going twice around the tree. From my advantage on a hill I judged that such a crystal chill Was only adding frost to snow As gilt to gold that wouldn't show.  A brush had left a crooked stroke Of what was either cloud or smoke From north to south across the blue;A piercing little star was through.

Pawley's Island Weekend

Don't grow up too quickly, lest you forget how much you love the beach. -- Michelle Held 

 

 A couple of weekends ago, we were invited to go to Pawley's Island with our friends. They had been given the use of her bosses beach house for the MLK weekend. It was absolutely beautiful and just a little bit cold...but I guess that's to be expected in January. We had a great time. The house was perfect, sitting right on the beach with huge windows that overlooked the surf. 

When we got back home, I started a glass piece as a way to thank my friend's boss for allowing us to use his house. 

 

 Detail of pre-fired Pawley's piece

Pawley's piece after firing

My family on the beach 

 Sunrise at Pawley's

Our walkway to the beach 

A whole new world...

So, I have been having the best time learning how to use this Taurus 3 Ring Saw and exploring the possibilities. I was doing just fine until the blade snapped. I had to order one from Canada, so it put a crimp in the fun.

Finally got it back up and running, and I am once again playing with new ideas. It allows me to cut shapes into the glass. This may not sound like a big deal, but when cutting by hand, I was pretty much limited to basic squares and rectangles. I could cut a curve or cut off the edges to get a more rounded shape, but forget intricate shapes - well, not any more...

 

 

 

A Bit of Summer in January

Here are a few recent glass creations. It's cold here today for South Carolina, probably won't get above 50 degrees today. Personally, I'm missing the warm days of summer about now. These pieces and their blue skies and vibrant flowers remind me of the warmer days to come.

Time in the Garden

I think that if ever a mortal heard the voice of God it would be in a garden at the cool of the day.  

F. Frankfort Moore

Happy New Year to everyone! I am so grateful to all of you who faithfully keep up with things here. I really enjoy posting, it's kind of a diary of sorts for me. It's fun to look back over the past couple of years and see the things I was working on and the places we've been.

Over the break, I began work on a commissioned piece. I decided it would be a garden piece and included a dragonfly since it's a gift for someone who loves them. It's still a work in progress, I have to decide how to finish it, frame it, etc. 

Thought I would post a few in progress photos of this piece. It's about 9"x12"- the canvas board is 11"x14".