Another "Art Bra" from a previous event...

I don't remember what year I made this one but it was fun.

I think I like it because it could be hung but doesn't necessarily look like a bra, unless you are at an event and know it is supposed to resemble one.

This was made with two melted glass baby food jars.  The red flower was given to me by a friend.  Sorry, I don't remember who it was but people are often giving me glass objects.

I love the little wings under the rose because I bought them from a man who would recycle old car parts.  He had all kinds of molds that he would make little objects with.  That was YEARS ago.  I still have quite a few of them.  They don't solder in easily and have to be wrapped in foil to make them work but I love them.

And the crystal at the top was intended to be hung.  Over time, the top broke and there was no longer a hole to hang it with.  So, with a bunch of misfit pieces, one of my favorite art bras was born.

This is what I meant when I said the Art Bra Class I will hold for the next 3 Thursdays would be kind of a free for all.  Whatever I have in my studio, mostly whatever, would be open for use by students.  And, almost everything would be included in the class.  Of course, I have to have some exceptions.

Thursday, 6pm-9pm, or whatever time you have.  Would be great to get something going!

Pat Deere

Art Bra Auction in Tecumseh - Bid on a bra for breast cancer research.

What a fun project.  When my friend, Elizabeth Engle asked me if I wanted to work on an art bra with her using ceramic and glass, I said "sure!"  I have been wanting to use that combination of materials for a while and never had the chance.

While I was on vacation, Elizabeth got a mold from my studio.  She created the pieces, brought them back for me to fire in the kiln, and I used this one as my donated piece.  The top section was created by painting fusers glue mixed with glass frit with a design carved into it prior to firing.  The nipples fell off during the firing process, so they also were covered in frit, fired, then glued back on after the mosaic work was completed.  The strap is copper wire and the bottom is decorated with beadwork.

This is the third bra I have created for this event over the years and it is a lot of fun to be a part of.  Some of the bras are a little quirky, like this one, but the cause is serious.  If you are in the area and have the opportunity to go, I have the information listed below.  Advance tickets are required - I believe they have sold out in the past so call ahead to be sure.

You can find information on facebook:  Tecumseh Art Bra Auction

Contact Info: The Purple Pear Tree, 109 W. Logan St., Tecumseh, MI, 49286, Phone: 517-424-6003

Hope to see you there!

Pat Deere

Last October

It is fun when I can do glass and not paperwork in my studio. THAT, is a good day. This is my latest crushed glass piece getting ready for firing. I call this one Last October because it was inspired by a trip I took with my husband to Northern Michigan for our anniversary and a look at the color display. I must have taken 500 pictures. This was taken somewhere along the way. Possibly around the Boyne area. When we went, the color was the best there.

I have been playing with crushed glass, using System 96, mostly transparent pieces. This is actually only about 2/3-3/4 done with the layering process. I find that if I take photos in the flash mode as I am layering the glass, I get a better idea of what it will look like when it comes out of the kiln. I try to layer it about 1/2" thick so it is not brittle.

This is the time of the year to be in Northern Michigan if you plan a color tour. We are going again in October - I hope. We are planning on being in the Upper Peninsula but the color will probably be better at that time in upper lower Michigan.


I am hoping to have this piece out of the kiln and incorporated into a stained glass panel so I can take it to Art-A-Licious in Adrian tomorrow. While it is firing, I'll be working on a fireplace screen, a display for my nightlights and fused glass bowls, etc. etc. etc.

Hope to see you there!

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

At The Lake Is Done

My internet has not been working properly for the last couple of days but I am up and running now. Previous blogs have shown how this stained glass panel has been created... the process I used, etc.

Once I was able to fire the glass in the kiln to about 1500 degrees, I cooled the kiln and woke up at about 4am to see what it looked like. The bad part about firing things in the kiln, for me, is that I can't sleep while I'm waiting for the kiln to cool enough for me to see what it looks like.

I have been working these pieces into beveled borders which allows the fused glass to stand out, and the bevels to highlight it's beauty.

I'll have this and others like it for sale on my web site soon. Enjoy the day!

Pat Deere

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

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