Monet's Gardens Tomorrow

This is part of a stained glass window I found while walking along the shopping district in Paris (I am pretty sure).  We covered a lot of ground.  Due to internet difficulties... a quick list of our travels:
Notre Dame
Many other churches in Paris I will go through later.
Wonderful sandwiches on French bread on every corner.
Best meal of our lives while in St. Malo.
Mont St. Michel today.
Back to Paris tonight.
Planning our trip to Monet's garden for tomorrow.

More to come later!

Pat Deere

1st Day In Paris

It's midnight and I am going to sleep so we can get up and be at Notre-Dame de Paris by 8:30am.  Then off to the Louvre before heading to Mont St. Michelle in St. Malo tomorrow.

Today though in a brief outline... details to come later:
Breakfast in our room - baguette, yogurt, juice, etc.
Walk down the Sienne on a beautiful sunny day.
Prayed at Notre-Dame.
Lunch at a little cafe.
Walk walk walk walk walk.
Coffee at another cafe.
Watch a chalk painter painting the Mona Lisa outside the Museum of Modern Art.
Visited St. Eustache and St. Merri.
Planned our travel to get to tomorrows destination.

More later,

Pat Deere

London to Paris

OK.  I have to admit I am loving this artfilled journey but the familiarity of home and the access to technology as I know it is greatly missed.

That said, we are having a great time and ideas for projects once I get home are definitely flowing.

One of the best experiences was going to the Globe Theatre in London (you can see Matt holding Delilah here).  It is a reproduction of the original Shakespeare Theatre.  It is an outdoor setting and we bought standing only spots for 5 Euro a piece.

Computer failed on me again ... so:
London:
Globe Theatre - check.
Westminster Abbey - check.
The Actors Church - check.
Shopping - check.

Paris:
Eiffel Tower at night - check.
Baguettes & Escargot - check.

More details when I get home and can right in a flowing manner without the frustration.  Don't need that while I am here.

Pat

Where in the world is Dlilah?

1st day in London. What a treat. My first impression was how it reminded me of New York.

Today Delilah can be seen sitting in a broken out window pane of a red telephone booth on a London street. She is my travelling companion and will lead the way for this blog while I am in Europe.

First, the photos of the clouds, which I will post when I have a computer I can use with better editing abilities. Our trip began in Detroit with a layover in Philadelphia before leaving for London about 10pm Tuesday night. There was a storm over Cleveland that allowed for some wonderful photo opportunities. My son, Matthew thought we might be able to get a free international flight when he saw the “Volunteers Wanted” sign. Darn it when he found out they were only looking for one volunteer to give up their seat for a free flight and they already found that volunteer before we arrived. Our United Airways flight left about a half hour late as they tried to fix the tv’s… no luck… and they served us miniature pieces of chicken, on miniature trays, with miniature salads about an hour into our trip. Six hours later we woke up to a miniature Danish in plastic wrapping before we headed off to customs, which was uneventful, thank you very much.

Love the streets of London.  Cars are small.  People drive on the opposite side of the road.  Tipping is different here than in the States.

Later in the evening we were able to walk through a London side street.  There were many row houses that had a lot of character.  But, they had fake stained glass.  Couldn't believe it.  I'll take pictures later.

Went to St. Mary le Bow Church and information about it is on my Churches and Chapels web site.  The link is below.

I'm tired and heading to bed.  It's after midnight here and after 7pm in Michigan.  On our list for tomorrow is Shakespears Globe Theatre, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and not sure what else.

Pat Deere

Links: Churches and Chapels Blog

Crushed Glass Kitchen Cabinet for Epiphany Kitchens

Today's Business: Really - I am just trying to keep the people who are filling in for me informed of what to do while I am gone.  Even though I have an office procedures manual, feel like I have covered my bases with the bank - employees - and customers, being gone for three weeks is a long time and I feel like I am leaving something out.

Today's Photo: When Epiphany Kitchens from Northville called about working on some cabinet doors for their display I knew what I wanted to do for them.  Shown here is one of two doors completed for them.  The other has the same design, but a less expensive version with the central piece being clear textured glass.  They will be having an open house for their customers, designers and builders while I am in Europe so I am thankful I was able to get it to them before that event.  Their showroom is very nice and has a lot to offer.  I put a link to their web site below that you may want to check out.

Pat Deere

Links:
Epiphany Kitchens
107 N. Center St.
Northville, MI 48167

Artprise Entry by the Svelata Foundation

Growth Idea:  Following artists on Facebook is a real motivator for me.  I have been following the work of Mia Tavonatti as she progresses on the mosaic shown here.  This is just a small portion of a large mosaic she is creating as an entry to the Artprise competition coming up in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Unfortunately I will be gone during the voting part of the constest, but I will be back on time to visit Grand Rapids and look at all of the entries.  Any takers, let me know.  I will go sometime in early October and plan to make it a day trip.  If you have the time, a trip to Grand Rapids during the voting period would be a good use of time I would think.

I love the flow of color in this mosaic.  I love the glass chosen to depict the water scene.  And the composition itself is beautiful.  You will find it worth your while to click on the link below and see more pictures and read more about Mia and her foundation.

Today's Business:  My trip to Europe is just around the corner.  I have a couple more patterns I need to get ready and printed off before I go... so that is priority today.  I also need to get some money... exchange my US dollars for some Euro and I have been told the exchange is getting better so that is on my list today also.  I can't even imagine the emotion I will be experiencing when I enter the cathedrals and architecture of years past in London, Paris, Barcelona, Marsielle, and then again in Florence, Italy and Rome.  It is just sinking in that next Tuesday I will be on a plane that will lead me to a place that will undoubtedly change my artwork forever.  Can't wait!

Today's Product:  Classes, classes, classes in October.  I'll be able to start them when I return.

 Pat Deere

Links:
Svelata Foundation, Artprise Entry by Mia Tavonatti

Finally something for my home!

Trying to prepare for my upcoming trip to Europe and I have decided to have Brandi, one of my helpers, work on the transom and sidelights for our  home which has been newly log sided so it will be ready to solder when return.

The glass has been picked out for a while.  I had a general idea of how I wanted the color of the glass to flow,  but I wasn't sure how I wanted it to pull it all together.

This is the design I have decided on.  One of my favorite multi colored glasses by Uroboros, their #6595, will be the basis for the design.  Our name and the ribbons will be cut using Youghiogheny Medium Amber Stipple Glass, #5002.  The ribbon-like pieces will have a contrasting green to pull together the green trim of the house and the hints of green in the Uroboros glass. 

One piece of the Uroboros has a lot of rustish colorations.  I anticipate putting that portion of the sheet around our last name, "DEERE".  On the bottom of the transom and into the top of the sidelights I plan to pull the blues out of the glass.  From there it will be a gradation of green and ambers.

You can see in the photo of the front of our home,  the spaces where the sidelights and transoms will go.  Our initial thought was to put glass in the upper sections of the log fans going across the top of the porch area.  But after rethinking that idea, I have decided against it.  The wood fan design looks great on its own and I don't want to take away from it.

More photos will be posted as I move along.  Pretty exciting for me.  We have lived in this house for 20 years and finally made the decision to stay in it and fix it up the way we want.  So, even though I have been working with glass for 30+ years... there really is not much in my home.  But, that is going to change.

Custom glass for your home could be customized to your taste just like this one has been customized to fit our needs.  For more on custom glasswork, click onto the link below.

Pat Deere

Links:  Custom Stained Glass