Studio Helpers

I'm not sure this will come under the title of helpers exactly but it is what it is.  My husband, long officially retired (?) from toymaking and major art shows finally found some renewed art passion.  It's been awhile before there was something he could enjoy again.  Knifemaking and forging is something he can do and take breaks with.  The forge has to heat the steel up and so he gets breaks in between hammering.  Hammering isn't so good for him either so our oldest son found him an old Murray power hammer and it takes most of that out of the equation.  Whew!  Good, right?

These are the types of knives he makes.  Some are regular and some are Damascus.  He is especially fond of making the Damascus and for that especially he needs that power hammer.  He loves doing this.  Nah, he's not selling them but it's gratifying.

It's gratifying but the power hammer is frustrating.  Not to him.  To me when I need to work.  Me and especially to my eldest "studio assistant".  Yes, everyone has assistants, right?  Damn right! 

So I'm working on setting these pieces in hoping they will be juried into the shows later this summer.  I don't have time to make some glass that I would set.  It would be a bit before I could perfect what I'd like to present.  It's not that I couldn't maybe get the glass ready.  If I worked diligently at it I might.  But I'd never get the glass and set it in time to participate.  I've decided to instead work with something that fits the theme's "reflections" and something that has tripped my trigger for a lifetime! 

When I was a kid my grandfather used to attached glass reflectors to my bike.  He told me they were gems.  I kept those reflectors - I love them.  To me glass, in any of it's forms, is exactly like gems.  I don't much tend to make any distinction there.  My "perceived" value is the same.  Over the years I've collected a wide variety of reflectors but more recently came across an entire stash of them.  So that will be my focus for these pieces of reflection.  My history, my perception, the reflections.

What's holding me up?  Studio Assistant.  This is how the power hammer affects my one of two beloved furbabies.

Trudy's reaction to the power hammer.  "Oh NO Mom he's making noise!"

Trudy is 14 years old.  She's never been particularly skittish until she started to lose her vision.  But, we never thought it would get like this.  I work in the round.  My tool bench is made up of several work areas that are created in a large semi-circle so I can go from designing to fabricating and so on.  There isn't any room to fit me and two dogs into the area.  Shhhh, don't tell Trudy that.  

Don't worry, she comes first.  When this starts I decide whether I'm at a point I can stop or if hubby needs to stop for a moment so one of us can settle her down.  

I love them both, but helpers?????  I need to hire out next lifetime.

First Skill Share

One of the things I've done since moving to North Carolina is join the wonderful team at the North Carolina Glass center.  Those who belong to the ISGB (International Society of Glass Beadmakers) know that because of a recent article I wrote for their digital magazine Evolution.

To say I'm having a ball is an understatement.  I am a studio monitor in the flameworking shop.  NCGC has a hot, cold, and flameworking shop.  We also have a gallery that is filled with the art of 30 different glass workers.  It's simply filled to the brim with talented and sharing people.

To this end the Executive Director, Gallery Manager, and Shops Manager (maybe others) designed a program for the in house people called a "skill-share".  As I said, there's a plethora of talent and many have stepped forward and submitted a specific skill they thought the group might like to learn or see demonstrated.  For being willing to jury and demo the artist gets to be the "featured artist", and have  one person show in a section of the gallery, complete with announcement and opening.

With NCGC being in the Arts District of Asheville it's very much a sweet deal for all of us.

Honestly, how many of us artists have longed (glass and other wise) for the good old days when techniques, glass types, and reactions were shared openly.  I know I have.  It has gotten to a point with the general glass community of beadmakers that I feel bad if I ask about something I see that I feel is done well or has a stunning color combination.  Within a large part of that community things have become guarded, tutorialized, or become class driven.  Honestly, with some techniques I can most certainly understand this.  There are artists who teach who have a style that is simple so unique to the genre that they deserve and have earned the right to offer it as a class.  Their skill level with this style or technique is so unique among us that this is the correct way to offer it to the rest of us.
But, I've been around long enough to know when something is a "repeat" of a technique that has been around the block since the beginning.  Do I think there are those that still deserve to instruct others, absolutely.  But I also don't think so many interested newbies/ or ancient beadmakers should be rebuffed for asking questions.

Okay, that's my Op Ed - I'm off track a bit.  The NCGC is a breath of fresh air on this.  They are a sharing bunch.   And once again I feel as if I have something to contribute AND something to learn!

First skill sharer was in the flameworking shop.  Matt Tyner.  Let me tell you - he is beyond talented and incredible sweet to boot.  I enjoyed the first skill share.  I will enjoy many more.  He showed us how to do wig-wags and blowing techniques.  I had extensive torch-envy.  Not only for the torch but the way he set it up to move.  I was blown away.  Here are some photos from that first session.

As you can see by the white board we learned a lot.  Matt uses these techniques on many things.  I first saw a wigwag design early in my career by Fred Burkhill.  But that was nearly 30 years ago and it was so beyond my comprehension.  Matt was a joy to watch and I'm looking forward to seeing many others.

Newest Earring Batch

I'll get to all of the fun things that have been happening but here is the new group of earrings getting ready for the gallery.  There are only three styles in here but a whole lot of color and shine.  Off to get them carded up and priced.

I love doing these kind of discs.  Lots of layers - stripes of varying colors and plenty of visual impact. I've all silver wire work and handmade ear wires or posts.  I'll get a close up of those sandblasted beads another day.  Have a good night!

Uh Where has the time gone....

It's time I got back to this......I think about it, and don't do it.

No, I've not been sitting still on a rock out in the universe.  Oh, yes I have - literally, but not figuratively.  So, for the sake of getting up to date I'm going to spend a day going to through the events of the past year and see if there isn't some way to catch us up without losing site of what is currently going on so I don't get 'lost in space" again.

In the mean time - I've had three major  metalsmithing classes.  No surgeries, whew! I've become a studio monitor at a major a major Asheville glass studio, and gone back to teaching (in at least one medium).

Busy, yes.  But not too busy that I can't get back to this.

So, temporarily hang tough.  I hope you'll come back to once again check out what's new here.