Customer Question - Painting and Frit

Dear Pat,

Thank you for your recent email. I do check your site periodically. I'd like to learn how to do something but I'm not sure what's it's called exactly nor what is needed both material-wise and experience-wise. So my plea to you is for your help and/or direction.

I'd purchase a set of Swallowtail Butterfly Wings. They were made in Canada by the DeBrady Glass Studios... The package said: "These have been fuse-printed by kiln firing finely ground glass onto clear glass, then refiring with a metallic coating to produce an iridized finish." ...

Thank you, Chris B.

Chris,

I did find this glass company on the internet at http://www.debrady.com/. It looks like they wholesale glass items like this to retail outlets. I can't tell you exactly how they have done this but the technique I would use when trying to make something of this type would be traditional glass paints and glass frit. Traditional glass paints and frit require the use of a kiln to permanently fire it into the glass. When painting I like to mix my paint with water or more often with clove oil. The clove oil allows the paint to work smoothly when painting lines like the ones shown in the butterfly wings. A book I like to reference when painting is one by Albinus Elskus, The Art Of Painting On Glass.

The Fused Glass Handbook by Gil Reynolds is one I like to reference when doing kilnwork also. Glass frit comes in many sizes. Anywhere from sand-like pieces to larger ones like the pieces you make when chipping glass with a pair of glass breakers.

CLASS NOTES: Glass painting and fusing are classes available at my studio. For those interested, it is currently taught in a weekly format in 2 hour sessions. For those interested in glass painting, but who may live a distance from my Tecumseh studio, a longer 1/2 day or day long workshop will be considered in the future. Just let me know if you are interested and a workshop can be made available on the week-end.

Any time you have a question, I will answer it to the best of my ability. If you would like to learn the techniques through a class, I would suggest that it is a good thing. If you just need advice and want to learn it at home, I don’t mind answering questions for you. Hope this helps!

Pat Deere

Mosaic Bird House Auction - Tecumseh Center for the Arts

The City of Tecumseh is hosting a bird house auction where the bird houses can be viewed in area businesses throughout the summer and auctioned off in the fall. My bird house, shown here, was inspired by my three teenage boys. It can be seen at United Bank and Trust in Tecumseh.

The four sides of this glass mosaic are: Life is a Journey, Get Inspiration Wherever You Can, Learn From Your Mistakes, and Be At Peace in the End. Each of the sayings are hand painted onto the glass and kiln fired for permanence. The poem, by an unknown (to me) author has been engraved onto the glass for the Learn From Your Mistakes panel. It really hit me when I read it and it reads like this:

Praying to a God you can't see and can't hear seem a little confusing?

When my child made a bad decision that was legally and morally wrong, I only had to ask him one question.

MOM: Would you have made the same decision had you talked to God about it first?

CHILD: No.

MOM: That was God talking to you. You may not see him and you may not hear him like I am talking to you now. But the ability to make good decisions while talking to God is prayer. And, your good decision is God's answer.

When you get to the side, Get Inspiration Wherever You Can, much of that came from a wonderful canoe trip I had taken on the Au Sable River with my children and friends. They had a beautiful old log cabin on many acres. The trip passed a private piece of land where somebody had built an outdoor chapel. It was roofed and the windows were made of wrought iron. Inside there were benches where you could sit, meditate, pray, or just listen to nature. It was a great place for a quiet moment and open to whoever wanted to stop by.

Visit all of the houses whenever you can. All of them are supposed to be listed on the Saline Picture Frame web site. I did not find that link yet but will post it when it becomes available.

CLASS NOTES: Along with a full array of other classes, I teach glass mosaic. There is a new product out called NO DAYS Mosaic Adhesive. Great product! It adheres well and is quick drying. I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have about it and I do have a limited supply of free samples!

Pat

PL Deere