“I hope,” I said with an apologetic smile, “that I’m not hurting anything? It’s a beautiful field and I just couldn’t resist.” I’d been driving past this wheatfield since early spring, on my way to work. I’d watched pale green sprouts shoot into sturdy green stalks, frowned as weeds invaded the waving tangles of grain and settled into a kind [...]
So now some poor soul in Hillsboro thinks I'm trying to off somebody. Headed over to the Cornelius Roadhouse tonight to meet Steve-the-kilngod and kick off the Intelligent Kiln Project (more about that later). Arriving, I realized that (a) I had no idea what Steve-the-kilngod looked like and (b) Cornelius Roadhouse is a big place full of guys waiting for [...]
Spent hours at GAS (the Glass Art Society conference) last month asking glass artists how they create–not the technical part so much as the inspiration and content part–and was kind of surprised at what came out of my very unscientific survey. Most appeared rather surprised by the question, clearly hadn’t considered WHY they do what they do, and had a lot of [...]
This week I have two great big thank yous: One to Bob Heath, who kindly loaned me the use of his kiln when mine croaked, and one to the guy that invented fiberglass. THANK YOU […]
Wow. THAT was fun. Spent the afternoon demonstrating pate de verre techniques at Portland’s Museum of Contemporary Craft, and enjoyed myself thoroughly. Part of the museum’s month of glass, it’s sponsored by the Oregon Glass Guild. Supercompetent Bob Heath (president of the Portland chapter), played assistant the whole time which made a LOT less work for me (thanks, Bob). [...]
If you ran into me at the Portland Art Museum on GAS conference opening night, you would have seen me sporting a T-shirt admonishing glassists who use the term “warmglass” to describe “kilnforming.” (Incredibly nice-looking T-shirt, BTW, so many thanks to Ted for sending one my way) The T-shirt went with the really wonderful Klaus Moje retrospective at the museum, [...]
I wonder if there's a word for "beyond exhausted?" I'm certain there are words for "beyond contented." Pleased. Delighted. Charmed. Enchanted. Yep, those work. So...the Portland 2008 Glass Art Society conference (mostly) ended last night, and I'm pleased, enchanted and plumb wore out. Learned a great deal, got all kinds of energizing ideas for new work and validation (or redirection) [...]
Whew. Long, fun day at the Glass Art Society’s Portland 2008 conference, an impressive opening day. Some great talks and demos, still meeting old friends and discovering new ones. Inspiration abounded, but I have to admit that the technical exhibits held the day for me. I love having this many manufacturers in one room, ready to solve my problems. The [...]
Pre-conference day at GAS, and it was a GAS. Unless you’d signed up for studio tours or somesuch, all there was to do today was register at the Portland Hilton (and if you’re a volunteer, wend your way to my table to check in), and see who’d already showed up. Well, that and–if you were among the select few who [...]
I was shooting the iris–great stuff–but the angry buzzing in the rhodies behind me was finally too distracting. Apparently wet rhododendron blossoms don’t lend themselves to easy nectar gathering. As I watched, bumblebees tumbled out of blossoms, righted themselves and headed back for more. They slid down the soggy petals, scrabbled for footholds, got stuck and buzzed themselves out. I [...]