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Monday, December 30, 2013

Christmas decorations

My Dad sent me this picture of one of my decorative keys hanging along side some slighty more christmassy decorations. My mum has made a special cedar and LED light that sits on the table to show off these ornaments.

Monday, December 23, 2013

Happy Birthday Mum!

Bee Birthday card for my Mother. I have had some ideas for glass jewelry inspired by bees and honeycomb. The actual items not quite realised in time (some defunct UV film) but here are my bee drawings as a card. I scanned the line drawing and printed on to tracing paper, stitched onto yellow card.




Friday, December 13, 2013

Woodland tankard in wax

Finally I made a successful mould from the opshop metal tankard (see below), a 3 part plaster affair ended up being easier than rubber or silicon.
Here is the tankard with a modified (strengthened) handle plus oak leaves and acorns ready for the next step of lost wax mould making.

wax woodland tankard
3 part plaster mould in progress

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

4 more 'master' keys

My success rate on this batch was pretty low, about 50%. I need to make a better mould if I'm going to do many more of this shape.


Saturday, November 30, 2013

Rapid mask sandcarving and painting

To get the silhouettes on to the cast crystal pieces, I sandblast then apply black paint. I use a product called 'Rapid mask', it's a UV sensitive film that takes an inverted black and white image and through exposure to UV breaks down the unprotected 'white/clear' areas. It is fantastic to use with protective film on both sides that enable easy placement an adhesion. After sandcarving I left the film on. It also acts as a stencil for the spray application of enamel paint.
UV sensitve film in place, ready for taping up (masking)

After sand blasting

After clearing all the excess grit away I sprayed the paint on, waiting for it to dry between coats
the final product.

Friday, November 29, 2013

Silhouette feedback

So I thought I had all my images sized and ready when I get some feedback from the non artists in the house, about the Cinderella/Aschenputtel character.
"Why does she have a brush?" I'm asked. I try to explain how she needs something to denote who she is, since my previous suggestion and drawings of pumpkins were pronounced "twee". Considering her silhouette is in front of trees I conceded a brush was a bit useless. I thought and suggested a lamp, which we all agreed was atmospheric and suggested twilight or evening.

The thing with silhouettes is, you have to get the clues in without over complicating or making them look odd. With her holding the lamp, I needed a position where her arm would not obscure other details that I wanted or look as though she has an arm grafted from her stomach (even though it was anatomically right) and look very strange. It can be a curious balacing act.

So I spent another few hours working on these.

the 3 options

finding the right scale

playing with scale, finding a balance between the drawings and the glass

Bilk Christmas Show, Hollydays

This is where my petite fairy tale landscapes are going

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Work in progress


Secrets ready to go

Despite some unforseen difficulties 'Secrets' are ready to go to the store...soon to be available for purchase at Gather! the Canberra Glassworks retail shop. Woot!


Sunday, November 3, 2013

Matt makes a paperweight

Dougie's nephew Matt has been staying with us for a bit, while he finds his feet in Australia. After a hearty brunch in Kingston we visit the Canberra Glassworks. Before you know it Matt finds himself being signed up for OTS (off the street) make your own paperweight.
Matt re heating his glass in the glory hole

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Serendipitous knitting circle (Audrey in Unst update)

Since I was in Woden early I decided that I would buy some buttons for a skirt, the skirt that up until now I have been wearing with a safety pin. On the way to the fabric shop there are opshops and a yarn shop (deadly). I just happend by Stich 'n' Time when a knitting circle started...I had my Audrey in Unst in my bag, so I joined in for a bit. Good to meet you Ladies!

Audrey in Unst, the back grows

Saturday, October 26, 2013

The Forbidden Chamber moves on to Mansfield

The Forbidden chamber moves on to Mansfield....

Arrested Liquidity
26 October - 4 November 2013
@ MAGE: Mansfield Art Glass Exposiiton 2013 Martin’s Garage, 52-54 Chenery Street, Mansfield, 3722, Vic.


Image credits go to the wonderful Dylan Esguerra

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Audrey in Unst, the lace

I think it might be time to check in with my Ravelry account and up my percentage of project completed... Great fun making the shape change and doing the lace. Knitting time on the drive from Canberra-Sydney-Dooralong-Canberra


Saturday, October 5, 2013

A ring of Fairy Tales

A ring is a traditional gift for graduation (so my parents told me). My Mum and Dad presented me with a beautifully wrapped book size gift. Inside was a Folio Society edition of the Grimm's fairy Tales illustrated by Arthur Rackham. I have always hankered after a folio book but they are pricey.

Grimm
When I opened up the book however, inside was a surprise...someone had cut into it!
What transpires is my Mum and Dad ordered a bespoke 'Literary Jewel' from Artist Jeremy May of Little Fly
It's an amazing piece, I have compressed fairy tales on my finger, I love it!


My 'dainty' artist hands (hah!)

The colouring of the LRRH





The book on my dressing table


Artist talk at the Rocks

Sydney was very full this weekend. The Australian Navy were celebrating 100 years with boats sailing in from all over the world, aeroplane displays & fireworks (oh and a British prince), some famous boyband was in town and on the Sunday a sporting grandfinal...and then there was a bit of art happening. I think my bit of the talk went well, and I managed to answer all questions...thank you Dougie for pre empting all possible questions on the trip up to Sydney.
me catching some shade before the talk

Friday, October 4, 2013

Summer holidays kids classes

All 3 days worth of seals, whales and penguins ready for glass melting...and I'm ready to sit down!



Thursday, October 3, 2013

Paths through the forest @ M16 Art Space

'Paths Through the Forest' mmmm hmmm I thought at reading the exhibition title of an opening coming up soon at M16. "That sounds right up my street". But I almost didn't go. You know those days, you get to the end of them and you feel grubby and tired and just want to go home and fall on the sofa?  Well in the end, despite the plaster 'decorated' clothing and skin I walked over to M16 from the Glassworks. I'm so glad I did, I had a chance to meet one of the artists Julie and share some of our fascinations with the folk and fairy tale world (that rarely happens with other visual artists).

This weekend M16 Artspace are having an event 'A Thousand words' where Canberra writers respond to the artwork with some story telling. I'm looking forwarrd to it!

A wife made of flowers by Julie Bradley

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

a present from the cat

a dead rat at 4.30am.

The cat was very pleased with herself and playing very loudly under my bedside table at 4.30am this morning. In order to make the most of the remaining hour of sleep I tried to work out why she was so excited. Eventually I saw what I thought was the stringy end of a toy she likes, I pulled it out from under the table.....and 'lo' to my somewhat sleepy surprise there was a large dead rat on the ther end!

Thanks cat!

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Audrey in Unst begins to start taking shape

A very exciting part of my first 'complex' knit. Separating the front and back, shaping the armhole and starting the lace bib section, woot!

Unst lace bib beginning

See that lace section...separate from the rest



Tuesday, September 24, 2013

fly zipper avoidance

So there wouldn't be any one around here avoiding putting the fly zipper in would there?
I think i've done everything that can be done before the fly zipper HAS to go in...

shirt placket becomes fly facing

Icebergs ahoy

Cast glass Antarctic animals (+ visiting Artic polar bear) in their new environment. Thanks to Ruth Oliphant for creating a good home for them.
Add caption

Monday, September 23, 2013

Antartic animals let out of the kiln

Here are the bunch of animals I made for Ruth's 'Antarctic diorama' (to entice kids to make the workshop). I probably said this too many times yesterday...but I've never really made anything CUTE before...
Penguins, seals, starfish and random fish (and a visiting polar bear)

my favourite seal

baby Harp seal (hopefully)

granted, Polar bears live in the North not South