It's Done

Can't post a photo yet, but my piece titled "At The Lake" is done. It's 11:29 and went to about 1500degrees. The idea was to heat it just enough to keep it solid but not enough to loose the wonderful texture. I opened the kiln lid just long enough to let the heat out so it doesn't keep softening before it cools.

Can't wait till I can check it out. That is the hardest thing about any fusing process... having the patience to not open the kiln too soon.

Pat

The Kiln Is On!!!!

Following up with yesterday's blog, I told you about my next project. I'll call this one, "At The Lake", and will be showing it at the Tecumseh Center For The Arts. The pallet of colors shows how I work with the glass. It is crushed into a variety of sizes, from about 1/4" to powdered glass. I layer it as I go along. The photo at the far left shows what it looks like in the kiln now, just prior to turning the kiln on.

And, Thank God I am writing this blog. After spending hours working on this piece, while I was writing this entry and describing the process... I realized I left my framework on my kiln shelf. What I mean by that is, as I am layering the glass in the kiln, I use metal framing to keep the shards in line so I have an even edge when it is fused together. Once the layering is done and prior to turning on the kiln, I remove those edges.

What is interesting to me, is seeing the photo of the glass. It actually gives me a much clearer picture of what the finished piece will look like than what I see with my own eyes. Of course, once fused, it will look even more different that what you see here because the glass pieces will have much softer edges.

Ok, back to work. I'll post a photo of the finished piece when done.

Pat Deere

Show Details: Tecumseh Center For The Arts, Art Glass Month Exhibit, Featuring: Lorenzo Cristaudo, Linda Jacobs, Pat Deere, Dates: March 28th - May 2, Reception: March 28th

Art in the making.

Today I am starting on a new piece, using the same techniques I used on, "The Forest Through the Trees". I love working on pieces like these because they are so spontaneous.

The photo you see in the center is my inspiration. This came from a stop I made on a bike trip last year with my son, Matthew, my sister Stacy, and her daughter Shelby. Matthew and I were riding together at this point, and I am embarrassed to say, we almost caused a collision because I wanted to stop and get this photo. If you have ever had the opportunity to view the great lakes, you will know why I was so excited. If you have never had that opportunity, you really need to come and visit us. The blues and turquoise, and greens... are awesome. So, my job is to capture it in glass.

The technique I am using for this piece is to take an assortment of glass colors, using Spectrum System 96, cutting and hammering it into a variety of sizes. I will begin to layer it on a kiln shelf thick enough to be sure it all adheres well when I take it out of the kiln. What it gives is a beautiful palet of color and texture that can't be duplicated any other way.

I have some work in a show being hosted by the Hidden Lake Gardens and the Lenawee Council for the visual arts. The photo in a previous blog post, of my "Forest Through The Trees" shows you what it looks like prior to going through the kiln ( I couldn't get the photo to show up here - sorry). To see the finished piece, you can visit the Hidden Lake Gardens in the Irish Hills, Michigan through the middle of May. This new piece I am working on can be seen by visiting the show going on at the Tecumseh Center For The Arts during Art Glass Month. This show features three glass artists: Myself - Pat Deere, Stained Glass; Lorenzo Cristaudo, Blown Glass; and Linda Jacobs, Glass Mosaic.

Once I place all of the glass in the kiln the way I would like it to look, I close the kiln and slowly heat it to about 1400 degrees. I really pay more attention to the way it looks than the temperature it is at. I want the glass to be melted enough to hold together when picked up, but not so melted that I lose the wonderful texture that I am going after.

Once the process of fusing, annealing, and cooling is done... I will incorporate the fused panel into a finished stained glass panel. Come to the shows to take a peak, or I'll try to put photos up on my blog when I'm done.

Classes: Right now I am still offering individual, one-on-one learning opportunities. Fusing is a fun technique to learn for stand alone pieces, or to incorporate into a finished piece like I am doing here.

Custom Stained Glass: I have another custom project I am quoting. It is for a customer north of me and their logo is rustic in nature, including deer and evergreens. This technique will be one of the options I will offer to them in order to give them a design they won't find anywhere else.

Pat Deere

Another fun glass!

This was one of my finds in Chicago on my last glass trip. This is a Spectrum glass, but it is transitional... meaning it is not a stock item. It is purple and teal on white. I have added this to my web site, but I only have 4 square feet of it.

A little education on transitional glasses... they are nice if you want something nobody else is going to have. The down side is, you probably will not be able to match it if you need to make a repair down the road.

In the case of Spectrum, you are likely to find something close because they are usually use their stock colors in the mix. Spectrum glass is a great glass for beginners because it cuts so well. They have a great pallet of colors to choose from. And, their colors often work well with those of other glass manufacturers.

Have fun with your art today!

Pat Deere

North Country Studio Workshops

http://northcountrystudioworkshops.org/viewvideo.php

I ran across a brochure on the North Country Studio Workshops in Bennington, Vermont. I had the opportunity to take a class with Peter McGrain, glass artist and painter after my studio fire about 8 years ago. What a wonderful opportunity it was. Not only was I among a large group of motivated and talented glass artists, but the campus was full of artists of all kinds ... ranging from the tin can artist, to the bent wood furniture builder, to fiber artists, and more. Click on the link above for more information. It was one of the best art experiences I have had so far. It may be something you will want to consider in the future. Check out the web site, the video, the faculty, and their art work. Let me know if you have had great experiences here or at other similar workshops.

Pat Deere

Some new glass - Wow!

Ok - I have been telling you I went to Chicago and bought glass... blah blah blah. Well finally, I have a sneak peak of some of what I bought. This picture shows just 5 sheets of what I was able to get at phenominal prices. May of these are transitional glasses that won't be manufactured on a regular basis. But, for most projects, that won't matter.

What you see here are a couple of pieces of fractured/streamer glass, a cool combination of purples and teals from Spectrum, a sheet of the new Float Fire glass that can be fused to window glass, and a wonderful sample of Saint-Gobain great for sandblasting.

It takes me a while but I'll be adding these to my web site and they are available at my studio any time. If you're looking for a specific piece of glass to finish a project, let me know. I'll do my best to help you out.

Custom Stained Glass: If you have been thinking about a piece of stained glass custom designed for your home, now is the time. Check out the new pieces you won't find elsewhere that can be incorporated into your home.

Pat Deere

Michigan Glass Month is almost here!!!

What you see here is the beautiful brochure put out by the Michigan Glass Month Committee. I just got them in and they are full of things to do in the glass world from the end of March through the first part of May.

You can get your copy by emailing me through this blog or my web site, or by clicking on to www.michiganglass.org . But, you don't want to be without this information.

I have not made it to all of the events in the brochure but I have been to a few. The Glass Academy in Dearborn is sponsoring their 3rd Annual Motor City Blow Off. This is a very exciting event where teams of glass blowers have a live competition. It was awesome. Baron Glassworks in Ypsilanti is another glass blowing studio I had the pleasure of visiting. They are in the brochure. The Tecumseh Center for the Arts is a first time exhibitor and has invited 3 glass artists, myself included, for their month long exhibit with an opening and closing reception. And I am also once again hosting the "Annual Stained Glass GiveAway".

Find these, and much more, in this brochure. April in Michigan is an art event you will want to be part of.

Hope to hear from a lot of you!


Pat Deere

Mosaics in the process...

On February 21 & 23 I posted a couple of pictures of this mosaic in the process. I always like watching the process an artist goes through to make a piece of art from start to finish.

Well, this is still in the process but it is sooo close. They say a cobblers children has no shoes, and in my home I really don't have much glass. I'm trying to change that. This mosaic was actually done for my husbands electrical contracting business, Deere Electric Inc. Today I have laid the thinset and placed my mosaic (glued to mesh) in place. I am filling in the blanks where glass has either fallen out or not reached the edges the way it should. Once dry, I will be able to grout and seal it and it will be done.

Since today is my husbands 49th birthday, I thought it would be nice to have it finished for him today. It will actually be tomorrow before I can grout though. When it is completely finished, I will post some close up photos so you can see the details.

Ok - back to work. Have a wonderful week-end.

Pat Deere

Working with bevels for the Devils Lake Yacht Club

Sometimes it's fun to see what projects people are in the process of working on. So, I thought I would share today's project with you and explain a little about how we get from start to finish.

This window was requested by a customer for installation at the Devils Lake Yacht Club in Manitou Beach, Michigan. They are renovating their building and trying to bring it back to what it might have looked like when it was originally built.

The owners are finding a lot of interesting architectural pieces that were in place during different phases of the building. It was not always a yacht club.

Because they do not have photos from the earliest years, they are working with what they have and using a designer to help them create a look that would have been popular during that period.

The stained glass is actually being installed into a new opening. We chose a series of bevels (beveled glass pieces), clear textured glass, and a blue that matches the rest of the interior space.

We started with a series of computerized drawings and began with a design that was seen elsewhere that they liked the design of. That is the top drawing shown in the photo at the left. From there, the customer chose a design they like that worked with their budget, which is similar to the 2nd computerized drawing shown here.

Once the design and glass were finalized, the pattern was completed, bevels are being wrapped in foil, and glass is being cut. Over the next few days we will continue to cut glass, wrap in foil, solder, patina, clean and polish. We will be adding reinforcement bars to this window due to the size (28"x74"). The reinforcements will help keep the glass from bowing over time.

As the piece goes through the process, I will photograph and show you how it is going.

Custom Glasswork: Remember, if you would like a piece of stained glass custom designed for your home or business, contact Pat through this blog or her web site.

Students: If you are a stained glass artist working with bevels, feel free to contact her as well with any questions you may have. I am currently offering individual classes for interested students.

$ Bevels On Sale: While in Chicago, I picked up a number of really cute beveled glass clusters in the shape of little girls heads. Check my web site for photos of what is available and their sale prices.

Pat Deere

SICIS The Art Mosaic Factory

This is a link you will want to go to. I am in New York City visiting my son, his girlfriend and my brother. While here, I am checking out art galleries, churches, cool architectural buildings, and wonderful ethnic restaurants.

The photo here was the best I could get when copying it from the web site: http:/www.sicis.com for the SICIS Art Mosaic Factory. This is a site you WILL want to visit.

We were walking down the street and saw a building full of mosaic flowers. When we got inside, there was a floor full of mosaic panels, mosaic rugs, mosaic dogs...

On this site you will find beautiful mosaic artwork, installation recommendations, etc. Take a look and let me know what you think. This gave me so many ideas I came back to our cute little hotel room and couldn't sleep. With my drawing pad by my bed, I woke up in the middle of the night and started drawing in the dark so I wouldn't wake my brother. When I woke up, I detailed my midnight sketches. Can't wait to get back and start working on some.

Pat Deere

Day one in Chicago did not disappoint.

Actually, I am in Warrenville, which is a suburb of Chicago. After driving 5 hours on a perfectly beautiful, sunny, 28 degree day, I checked into my hotel and decided to see what they had for entertainment. Not really wanting to drive into Chicago by myself after driving all day, I looked around Warrenville. I ended up on the campus of Wheaton College to see the Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra, of which I knew nothing about. But, when I clicked onto their web site to check it out and listened to this bit on You tube, I knew I had to hear them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OAXCy3YS54&mode=user&search= .

I used to not go places like this by myself, being a little self conscious about it. But, then I realized I was cheating myself of some wonderful experiences. So, sitting in the seat by myself I closed my eyes and took in the sounds. Not realizing it would move me the way it did, I searched around for a pencil and something to draw on so I could get my feelings on paper.

The result was a few quick sketches that captured what I was feeling inside while the orchestra played. Since I was by myself, in a city far from my home, with nobody sitting directly beside me or behind me, I didn't have to worry about what people thought about my totally getting into this performance. Had I gone with somebody else, I don't think the depth of the concert would have been so profound and I surely wouldn't have started sketching what was going on inside me. I am anxious to put it into glass.

This reminds me to encourage you to visit your local live entertainment outlets. If you live in my community, check out the Tecumseh Center for the Arts: http://thetca.org/performances/events.htm . Last year I was given free tickets to see Natalie McMaster. I am now embarrassed to say, I didn't know who she was. Needless to say, I got tired in my seat watching her... 8 months pregnant, dancing around the stage and playing the fiddle like nothing I had ever heard before. And what a bargain. The same week she played in a neighboring city for almost twice what I paid. Can't beat live entertainment. To hear Natalie, try clicking on one of her songs on this link. But really, unless you are watching and listening at the same time, it's just not the same. http://www.nataliemacmaster.com/recordings/yourstruly.htm#soundclips .

Tomorrow morning at 7:30am I'll be at Ed Hoy's glass sale. Lot's of good stuff in their flyer - can't wait to see it and bring it back with me.

Pat Deere

Classes: This past week I was able to give a private lesson to a customer wanting to learn how to do stained glass but not wanting to wait for a group lesson. What an experience for both of us. If you would like to put a design that is in your head, onto paper, and then into a glass window... perhaps a private lesson would help you out!