keeping on

Having just returned from the glass factory and dropping off some new pieces to fire, I thought it might be a good time to share. The beginnings of a process seem to be painstakingly slow and involve much grinding of gears. That being said, I have set up a small workshop area in the basement space off of my room and have discovered how much space and time can make up for lack of tools. I went from working on our dinner table








to this lovely little space.








It's about a 20 minute drive to 3rd Degree (I have them in my list to the right) and I have yet to figure a way to effectively transport my pieces...as it is, they sit on flat pieces of cardboard, layers of glass and metal, just vibrating with anticipation of the next bump in the road, the next abrupt turn. I stop at the top of our steep and turning driveway, slide some pieces around, and have to let it go. I push the volume of my radio so I don't have to listen to the unraveling of my hours of detailed placing of pieces of wire, cutting section after section of glass. I have to rebuild it all in the kiln anyway, right?

Of course, I get there and my new friend who runs the kilns tells me to use floral pins. Place them around each piece to hold the layers tight. Since I use cardboard and styrofoam, the pins will stick nicely. Of course.

Here are some 'before' photos. It's really fascinating how much they change when you apply heat. I will show you when the 'after' comes.