Trouble posting this one... sometimes I get the pictures and the words disappear, or the words are there and whoosh - where are the pictures. Let's see if I can get them both!
Some days are better than others and yesterday was not fun. So, what's an artist to do? Create something that feels good to the soul. I have been looking at these glass rods in my studio for quite a while. Do I make glass beads? Not really. I have in the past and I make them to embellish my stained glass projects but I certainly don't consider myself a glass bead maker.
So, with the transition in my studio, my tables being completely filled with my 4.5'x14' windows for my Flint project, blah blah blah blah blah... I am using up my supplies. These rods have been calling my name and yesterday was the day.
I love transition of color. And, I have been wanting to play with it using my glass rods.
So, one by one I started laying them out on the kiln shelf, blocking the ends with shelf pieces to keep the layers in place. I was trying to replicate the window I created to the left here using end pieces of glass, and a beveled border. Wasn't exactly trying to duplicate... just get a similar feel.
My first go around I didn't have the sun in the upper left corner in place. And, I fired it a little too long. When I opened the kiln the rods flattened more than I anticipated. I wanted that rippled texture the semi fused rods would give.
Seeing that, I decided to fire it again, add more rods that would be fused at a lower temperature and I felt like it needed an element, like the sun, to give it an interesting area. I am kind of liking how it is turning out. It is still too hot to touch, although I tried (you know - too anxious). But, there is a crack that runs along the side.
I think what happened was when I turned on the kiln I thought I just turned on one ring of coils and I actually turned on 3 rings to start with. I'm quite sure it got fired to fast because it was about an hour less than my first firing. So - there is a crack. That's ok. I got to try it. I am somewhat happy with the results. Happy enough to know I want to build up my supply of rods again and try a few more times.
Got me through my hump. And nothing changes my attitude like a little sunshine!
Pat Deere
