Here’s a new piece I just finished – meaning 10 minutes ago.  It was inspired by a watercolor from one of my first art teachers, Mary Michels – I’m sure many of you in this area remember her tremendous talents.  I’ve had the original hanging in our place in Mammoth for many years, and, although interpreting something into glass turns it into something completely different, I do offer it as a tribute to Mary.  The piece is 24 x 30″, framed and ready for wall mounting.  It’s a complicated work with fused glass, enamel, dichroic and tempered glass elements and, I must admit, framing it scared me a little, but there it is!

Winter Waters

I’ve recently finished the second of my pieces inspired by last fall’s trip to India.  This is from a photo I took in the countryside and it’s quintessential India; a building that seems to be put together from left over parts which is either still being built or already falling down, but covered with beautiful flowers growing out of every opening, and sagging telephone wires that don’t seem to be connected to anything.  It’s magnificent in it’s own very special way!

There’s an exciting show opening today, May 1st, at the Thousand Oaks Community Gallery in Newbury Park, Ca.  It features art made entirely from recycled materials, and, of course, glass is the grand-daddy of recycled material in general, but for this show I’ve created two pieces that take the recycling efforts one more step up.  These pieces were created from glass left over from other projects, which were combined and remelted, resulting in spectacular designs and colors.  The platter was cut from the resulting glass and slumped into a beautiful platter and for Green/Not Green, the resulting glass was further sliced and diced, and combined with copper elements.