Well, I’m sticking my toe in the water…the creative pool of the (or should I say, “my”) right brain…and I like it!! What’s surprising me is that even though I’ve dabbled in watercolor for many years, I find myself gravitating to glass. I guess it’s because I’ve been watching Sandy do her thing with glass these past three years. I’ve gotten very excited about the work she does…and now, I WANT TO PLAY TOO!!
In the process of watching and assisting her work, she has taught me quite a bit about kiln formed glass. I have many questions, like “how do I …” or ”why can’t I…”, some of which Sandy has not been able to answer with certainty. So, I am anxious to take a class on the process. Sandy took several classes from Dennis Chamberlain, a well known glass artist here in Maui that teaches kiln formed glass work. I will definitely be taking the next class he offers!
In the meantime, I am experimenting with two techniques that I got the idea about from work I saw on the mainland this past April. We had gone on a driving trip from LA to Sedona on to Santa Fe as part of a birthday present to me. In Sedona at the Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village, there are many art galleries, including a wonderful glass art gallery, Kuivato Glass Gallery. This gallery has the work of over 100 glass artists. It has some ties to Hawaii, including work by one of our Maui glass artists, Rick Strini. The gallery carries a couple of his wonderful blown glass light fixtures. Take a look at his website (www.striniartglass.com). And, if you get to Sedona, the gallery is a MUST SEE for the glass art, and also all the other art in the many galleries in that “art village”.
One technique that I’m experimenting with is where I start with glass rods that I cut, arrange, and fuse together to form organic and geometric structures. Two of my initial pieces are in this blog’s graphic above. I’m going to do something more with them, but haven’t decided exactly what. If you have some thoughts which you’d care to share, please do. I’m open!! The other technique I’m looking at is based on pattern bars. Sandy does quite a bit with pattern bars as can be see on her website (www.arttoharmony.com). Her pattern bar designs are like multicolored tight-weaved tapestries. I’m looking into doing something different. I’m working with a simpler more controlled pattern bar structure, and by using over-sized bar slices, trying to create a relaxed floral-like design. The top photo in this blog shows examples of what I’m working on. Again, as with the glass rod pieces, I haven’t yet decided how I want to incorporate these into finished pieces.
My intention is to develop these two approaches into finished “glass art”, and then get myself juried into the Lahaina Arts Society (see Blog 4). I will have to have at least five pieces to show. The next opportunity to be juried is August 12. I have in fact put my name down as wanting to be scheduled for jury then. So, I’ve definitely put my toe in the water and am about to go “full steam ahead”!
Aloha
Bob