Do you have your plan of attack for art-a-whirl? Don’t forget to stop by and pick up your spring inspired bike! These guys are made from hand blown spun glass rondels and each have there own personality. Yours for 40.00. Order yours today!

There are several types of sheet glass for your stained glass projects.  There is glass known as “art glass” this is glass that is hand made by ladeling different colors of glass and combining them in different ways.  Art glass is used typically in stained glass lamp shades and a variety of projects.  I like to use art glass in my boxes as it really allows the boxes to be one of a kind.  Here are a few boxes that I used a similar design of art glass and accomplished two different looks. 

This next box I also used a piece of slumped glass made from a cut of a vodka bottle for the handle.

Big Momma box!

Make room for me! This pretty princess came out of my Sunday morning and is a whopping foot long. It is currently the beast on my table and I think you deserve to see it in person!

First Thursday of April I had a great conversation with a visitor while I worked on this top. He mentioned it reminded him of the long thin pieces of metal that African women used to stretch there necks with. I decided to retain that image and keep the base of the box as simple as possible. This turned out great and I can’t wait for you to see it!

I’ve been inspired by spring and hope you have all been too!  I’m taking a trip shortly and wanted to bring a little token with me to thank two special people for their support whipping me into shape while I tried out bike racing two seasons ago and this year prepare for my first 1/2 marathon.  There company is called Gorilla Multisport and I can attest that they are a performance company that caters to all levels.  Look them up if you need some assistance with your goals! 

This piece will find it’s happy home in the heat of Arizona sticking out from the vegetable garden I’m sure!

Many will tell you that patience is not my greatest virtue, but this time I scored big! Dilegently I watched a few auction sites in pursuit of a pair of cobalt rondels to use in another bike project that I intend to give away to a certain someone.  What I found was a set of vintage rondels from the 70’s, some weathered, some with large punte marks, some with touch marks from the blower touching an instrument.  New tools are always fun, but unwrapping my package made my feet wiggle!  I’m looking forward to sharing what became of a pair of the cobalt rondels later this weekend!

For those of you not familar with the process of blowing a rondel, this is done in a glass hot shop.  In short, you blow a bubble and thin it like you are going to be making a bowl, then you transfer it off your rod to another punte so it’s now being held on by what will be the bottom of the “bowl”.  You then open up the bowl so it has slightly flared sides.  Then comes the fun part! Back in the glory hole it goes to get hot, so hot that when you start to spin the punte and slowly pull it out of the glory hole you continue spinning it until it fully flares out flat.  Quite the process for one of these guys, right?  I do make these as well but like to hunt out some unique and true colors like this little find!

Someone asked me the other day what had been keeping my busy in my free time lately.  Well, of the last three weeks I’ve been busy on my vision of my ideal place.  Lake Superior.  A Sunny bright day.  My bike. 

Come see my new work this Thursday at Open Studios in the Northrup King building.  You’ll love how inviting the bike is, it will make you want to pull it off and go for a spin, and the sea glass from various beaches will make you want to run your fingers over their soft skin.  It truely is a piece that takes me to my happy place.  I hope you like it too.

I designed a pattern for my sister a year or so ago and since then it got tweaked and changed and merged into something to showcase my favorite things.  The North Shore of Minnesota and my bicycle! Now of course the panel is for me and for all of you to see!

You can tell I’m onto the lead process from this picture however if you were to see me you could also tell by the cuts on my finger tips, the blood spots on my glass and the smile on my face as it’s coming along splendidly!  I can’t wait to show it off at first thursday in March.  I better get my back stretched out and back to work on it!

Thank you for coming out to see my new studio space!  I look forward to meeting new friends, clients and artists over my fantastic new display table (table made just for me by the “Northeast Carpenter”)!

Join me at First Thursday’s in the Arts District! Here’s a small sampling of my new work…