Facebook Friends & Free Classes

Vasos Em Mosaico: One of the wonderful things I am finding out about Facebook is the way I can get in contact with fellow artists across the borders. There is a link for a Facebook friend of mine that might interest you. There, you will find a lot of fellow mosaic artists with some very interesting work. Some of it is glass and some use materials other than glass. But they are all a source of great inspiration.

Free Class Saturday: It is raining in Michigan and it seems like a good day to take some time and work on a volunteer project I have had going on. If you are interested in coming to help on this stained glass window, give me a call or email me so I know to expect you. I believe we will start about 9am and work until at least 11am. This is a good opportunity for you to learn and for me to get some help finishing a project that needs to get done. Hope to see you!

Links: Vasos Em Mosaico http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1788915244#/profile.php?id=1788915244

Chihuly Bridge of Glass

I don't think I will ever tire of the creations of Dale Chihuly and his team of artists. I'm not going to write much because you really need to go to his link and check it out for yourself. This is just a portion of this installation.

Links: http://www.chihuly.com/bridgeofglass/

Pat Deere

MTA Window Update & The Artistic Dilemma

The window I am designing for the Mass Transportation Authority at the Flint Bus Depot is moving forward. I met with the committee today and proposed my design. The painted samples here are similar to what I expect to use in portions of the window I am creating for the Arab American Civil Rights topic.

I believe the committee liked my design but did not feel the need for the added expense required to give it the detail I felt it needed. But... time will tell. I haven't officially heard their decision yet.

Now the artistic dilemma... do I stick to the budget or plunge forward with what will make it an awesome piece of art? My business sense tells me to stick to the budget, my artistic heart tells me to do what I think will best represent the topic and my abilities.

Pat Deere

Free Class Saturday

I am planning on being in the studio Saturday to work on a volunteer project that is long overdue. It is a window for Grace Bible Church. If you are interested in putting in some time, learning about stained glass or getting some free instruction, come by tomorrow morning to help out.

We will be cutting glass, foiling, possibly some torch work (bead making)... depends on who is here and how far we get.

Let me know if you think you want to come and I'll be sure to stick around for you. I will probably be in my studio around 9am and stay until we get tired of working. I'll check my email for interested people since I won't be around much this afternoon: info@PicturesInGlass.net .

Studio directions: 10650 Carson Hwy is 1 mile west of M52, and 2.5 miles south of US12 or 1.5 miles north of M50.

Pat Deere

Theatre, Mosaics, and Weeping Willows

I was asked by a local theatre to come up with an idea for their donor wall. What you see here was actually a sample board for a mosaic idea on another project... that I didn't get. (But I did get 5 stained glass windows on that job.) This sample board would have been used in a bathroom and resembled a section of splashing water.

At any rate, my idea is to make a weeping willow tree. The hanging leaves will actually be pieces of glass - some fused and some not (like the glass sample shown). The fused pieces will add a lot of dimension to the piece.

The trunk of the tree will have the feel of a dancing figure swaying in the wind like a weeping willow. Names of the donors will be engraved on the leaves.

Don't know all of the details yet but we will be moving in this direction. I love it when my customers give me the ability to use my artistic expression and not be tied into a preconceived idea of what they think it should be. History has shown they are usually much happier with the results.

I'll keep you posted.

Pat Deere

Moving along but more silver needed.

Today's update... Opened the kiln and washed of the glass only to find the silver stain still needs another coat. You can see how much darker the border on the right is than the one on the left.

So, today I will give another coat. Fire it to 950 degrees. Open the kiln in the morning. And from a positive thinkers perspective, when I wash it off it will look like the one on the right.

I'll keep you posted!

Pat Deere

Silver Stain - In The Kiln Prior to Firing

This is a photo of the glass with what should be the last firing of silver stain. This is Reusche Amber Stain D292465. The stain comes with instructions to fire it at 1050-1080 degrees. I have not had good luck with that temperature. When I called Reusche, I was told to try it at 950 - 1000 and that is what I have been doing. This has also been layered over a previous coat of silver stain by Reusche #1388 Orange Intense fired at the same temperature.

I have also had good success firing it with the kiln vented. I was told this helps to keep the metalizing down and I have to agree I haven't had any trouble with that using the vented technique. More photos when it comes out of the kiln.

Pat Deere

Reproduction Painting

Reproducing old glass can be a trial.

This was the "perfect" trial. This glass came from a historic home in Dexter. It took a number of glass paint applications and firings to get to this point.

First, the outlines were traced in brown and fired at 1250 degrees. Second/third firings added brown details/shading. The fourth firing/painting was for the amber you see here - the lighter yellow. Fifth - the glass is prepared for the 2nd coat of silver stain which is the darker color around the borders and center of the glass. It will be fired at 950 degrees. Then, the final process will duplicate the sandblasted design in the clear areas of the glass.

Problem areas were: matching the silver stains (amber colors). I had to use the most expensive stain available to get the correct match. The tracing brown was mixed with zinc to keep the shininess (is that a word) down. The idea is to keep it looking true to the era. I used a kiln shelf material that was fairly new so it could be cut to fit my kiln and hold this size piece of glass. The shelf kept causing bumps in my glass, thus additional firings until it was figured out. Lastly, the glass was very weak and one piece of the original panels broke in my hands as it was being tenderly dried.

What this does to me as an artist????? Causes aggravation, extended deadlines, wonderful learning experiences, and a clearer direction about how to proceed on the next one. Have to look at the positive side or it will drive me crazy.

Pat Deere

Classes: Glass painting classes are currently being taught as private lessons. Contact me for more information.

Drawing #1 for the Arab American Window

Here's the next progression of my sketch:

ROOF DONE IN GEOMETRIC GLASS PIECES

ROW UNDER THE ROOF WILL POSSIBLY LOOK LIKE TILE WITH THE WORDS: ARAB AMERICAN INTERTWINED.

THE OUTSIDE SHAPES WILL HAVE NAMES OF IMPORTANT INDIVIDUALS DONE IN CALLIGRAPHY

THE INSIDE WILL HAVE A STATEMENT TRANSLATED INTO ARABIC CALLIGRAPHY AND SANDBLASTED INTO THE GLASS

THE WINDOW SHAPES ALONG THE BOTTOM THIRD WILL HAVE INFO RE: RELATED ORGANIZATIONS

THE WORDS “CIVIL RIGHTS” WILL LOOK LIKE TILE AND PUT INTO THE ROW BELOW THE WINDOW SHAPES.

MORE NAMES OF IMPORTANT PEOPLE WILL FILL THE BOTTOM BORDER.

THIS WILL BE A VERY DETAILED WINDOW USING HAND PAINTED GLASS, SILK SCREENED DESIGNS, MOSAIC, AND LEADED GLASS.

THE IDEA IS TO HIDE THE WORDS INTO THE DESIGN TYPICAL OF CALLIGRAPHY DESIGNS IN ARABIC ART.

THE TRICK FOR ME IS TO MAKE IT LOOK AUTHENTIC ENOUGH, BUT DONE IN A WAY THAT IT CAN BE READ BY INDIVIDUALS VISITING THE BUS DEPOT.

I NEED TO INCORPORATE A LOT OF ELABORATE DECORATIVE IDEAS AND STILL KEEP THE COST WITHIN THE BUDGET. THAT IS GOING TO BE THE HARDEST PART FOR ME.

I AM FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE THE HELP OF SEVERAL ARAB AMERICAN FAMILIES IN THE ADRIAN AREA TO BOUNCE MY IDEAS OFF OF. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Pat Deere

Arab American Civil Rights Window In Progress

What an exciting day yesterday. My trip to the museum proved to be an invaluable resource. My design ideas are becoming pretty solid. Now I just have to solidify the content.

I am realizing that calligraphy is one of the greatest art forms in the Arab world. That will be the basis of my design. I have been playing around with what it will look like and a "very" preliminary sketch is shown here. I believe I will have the mission statement for Arab/American Civil Rights translated in to traditional Arabic calligraphy and sandblasted into the central section of the window.

The organizations and relevant people will be done in English calligraphy on the bottom and sides of the window. Some kind of mosaic-like work will be included in the design as well.

August 13th I will know if the committee approves my design. But, at least now I can sleep knowing I have a direction that feels good. In the mean time, I will perfect what I am thinking and continue my research.

A trip to the museum would be very eye opening for anybody interested in expanding their views about the Arab American population. I left with an overwhelming feeling of who some of these individuals are, what their hopes and dreams are, and how much they are just like me in many ways.

Pat Deere

I'm so excited about this project!

Here is a little brain tour about how my process sometimes works...

I have been commissioned to work on a series of 5 of the 14 windows that will be installed at the Flint Bus Depot. I was commissioned through Greg Fiedler at the Flint Arts Council, for the Michigan Transportation Authority. They picked a series of groups to represent their civil rights struggles, accomplishments, organizations, etc.

My most recent commission is the Arab American Civil Rights topic. I was very unsure about this subject for a long time. Mostly, because I don't know enough about it to be sure I am representing it properly.

First: I was given a list of names and organizations to include.

Second: I started researching the backgrounds of each of them. Some, have obvious connections with civil rights and others... seem to just be famous people. So, I have more research to do.

Third: My artistic approach? Wow. This is where I ran into trouble. So, yesterday while I was at Cedar Point (an amusement park in Ohio) with my son and friend, my real ideas started formulating. They went on a ride that I had no interest in going on. Starbucks had computers so I got online and again, started researching. I saw some beautiful prayer rugs and thought that would be the basis of my design. Then, more research showed me the most relevant form of artwork would be calligraphy. The photo above came from the link below. Now, I have a place to start artistically.

Fourth: How do I correctly represent a people that I really don't know enough about to be sure I am not offending and at the same time properly representing important people, places, and facts. Phone call upon phone call lead me to a wonderful resource. When my children attended St. Joseph Academy in Adrian, MI we had a family whose background fit my topic. Today, I contact her and her husband, will hopefully meet with them tomorrow, and I will be able to use them as my sounding board. This is a comfort level that was missing from the start.

Fifth: Today I am heading to the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, MI for more inspiration. What better place to go for a resource.

The bottom line for me is... what an education I am getting. I am probably what most people consider a typical white, middle class, female. What this means is - there is so much for me to know about other people, where they come from, what their struggles are and were, what makes them who they are and so on.

Sixth: This is where the excitement begins and the project really starts to unfold. Sleepless nights will happen. Last night I got home at 3am and was up at 7:30am on my computer researching design ideas. And - I am not a late night person... so the inspiration is taking hold.

I'll keep you informed as this project progresses!

Pat Deere

Links:
Art of Arabic Calligraphy http://www.touregypt.net/HistoricalEssays/calligraphy.htm
Arab American National Museum http://www.arabamericanmuseum.org/