Finishing a blown glass tumbler

Room for Improvment

While I may like to talk, the typing daily what is going on, not so much.
Here are some places you can find me until I come back around to the blogosphere.
My Etsy account is this http://www.etsy.com/shop/HorkoverGlass
And I do tend to post on my Facebook page quite often, see that here, it's homey and comfortable.
- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Horkover-Glass/113197095377209

And my website which could use some updating as well. - http://www.horkover.com/Gallery_2.php

Teaching today

Today and tomorrow I teach Torchwork 2 at Glass Axis. Looking forward to a fun day working with students who already have a lampworking base, and are ready to learn and explore. I know I always learn something when I teach. I love meeting new people who also love to learn.

I want to sing

I want to learn how to sing so that I can walk around singing as I work and enjoy the singing, and it sounds good.
I can sing when I blow glass, because the equipment is loud enough that no one can hear me.
Anyone out there have good tips on learning to carry a tune?

What would you tell you?

If you could go back in time to your high school, and follow high-school-aged-you, around for one day,
What would you see/hear/know, that would make your cringe?
What would you be impressed by?
What words of encouragement would you give to "little" you?
What one last statement would you say to you before you had leave you and come back to present day?

commitment and doubt

"The relationship between commitment and doubt is by no means an antagonistic one. Commitment is healthiest when it is not without doubt, but in spite of doubt."
~ Rollo May, 1975, The Courage to Create, p. 21
I tend to be timid in new situations, yet I push myself into the new situations. I would say that this is my commitment in spite of doubt. Tuesday night I went to an event here in Columbus, called Wonderblender,  which was set up as a mixer for techies and artists to meet and create collectively. There wern't many details going into the event. I really had no clue as to what the expectations were. My husband drove me there, and I told him "I feel like a kid on the first day of school going to a brand new school" FEAR! What if I am not creative enough? What if I am the only one there with out an idea, What if I can't get a word in edgewise? Yet I was committed to this event, knowing in my heart the worst that would happen was a boring evening (realizing this was unlikely). It turned out to be an incredible networking opportunity with great ideas abounding.
At check in I was given a button that said "artist", and techies were given buttons which said "techie". It was set up like speed dating. Artists sat at tables and techies rotated. Every 4 minutes a bell rang and the techies would move. Amazing how much information two people can share in such a short time. Business cards and ideas were flying, doors to new opportunities were opening. I met all sorts of people, and I also learned that I am exceptionally innovative and creative.

Gallery Hop features blown glass and Columbus culture - The Lantern - Arts

Not ready for bed, so I Googled myself, and found that I am on pages and pages. Some I was surprised to see, and others I expected. I have been comfortable with the fact that nothing is a secret anymore, we can be found anywhere. Even so, there were things as little as comments I made on someone's photo on their facebook page, to information about where I am showing or demoing glass work. I had for gotten about this one though. This was an interview done years ago by an OSU reporter (student?) for The Lantern. It was kind of fun to find. I can't remember what the sunset glass piece was that she is referring to in this. OOPS.
Gallery Hop features blown glass and Columbus culture - The Lantern - Arts

Cat essence sketches

My cat was very happy to get outside today. He is only allowed out on a leash. I chose this time to do some quick (no other options with life sketches of a cat) sketches as Zizou wandered around the yard.

Coloring Day

Bord, nothing to do. Okay not really I have tons I could do. I am having one of those days where I just don't want to do anything. I pulled out my pastels and a paper and started to color. I felt as if I was a little kid again. Now I need some juice and a nap. Later I will climb a tree.

yesterday's beads

Glass Blowing

Glass blowing was fun last night. I went in with the intention of making vases and bowls for an upcoming show. My partner Jim, wanted to work for an hour making tumblers. We ended up taking turns making tumblers one after another, as efficiently as we could. It was a blast. We each got 5 tumblers made. Can't wait to pick them up today and see how they turned out. I hope to one day have images of me working.

New Bead set just posted on ETSY

I just posted this bead set on Etsy. Great for someone who loves to create with glass beads.

Lampwork glass bead set. 7 bead set ivory and teal. 5 decorative spacer beads with dots and twisties, are 10mm and 2 decorative cylinder beads are 13.5mm x 9mm.
Holes are 2 to 2.5mm and have been diamond bit dremeled clean, and the beads are kiln annealed for stress free beads.

Studio for non-hot art

This is one of my studios, quite a mess. The chair is a work in progress, but I also sit on it. I do my painting, piece my bracelets, and pendants in this studio. I also clean my beads, and make my internet posts from this studio.

The full shot. WOW! Why am I not embarrassed by this mess? Well I am not here is how I live. I love my studio I hang out in here every day. I create artwork, I watch TV, I make internet posts, I hang with my kitty.

Movie Review

Recently I watched two movies via Netflix which where thoroughly enjoyable. I think it note worthy to bring them up, in this the season of the Oscar.  I will be clipping the descriptions directly from Netflix, and then will make my commentary.
1. Mary and Max
Mary Dinkle, a chubby 8-year-old Australian girl, and Max Horovitz, an obese, middle-aged New Yorker with Asperger's syndrome, are a pair of unlikely pen pals in this quirky clay animation feature from writer-director Adam Elliot. Corresponding for two decades, the friends delve into a variety of topics, including sex, kleptomania, psychiatry, taxidermy and more. Toni Collette and Philip Seymour Hoffman provide the voices of Mary and Max.
2 .Harvie Krumpet
Geoffrey Rush voices the titular character in this claymation film about the life of a man who has terrible luck. Even after being born with Tourette's Syndrome, losing a testicle, getting struck by lightning and developing Alzheimer's disease, however, Harvie is still able to look on the bright side of life and appreciate the valuable things he's seen and learned along the way. This film won the Best Animated Short Oscar in 2003.
Both of these movies are directed by Adam Elliot are not rated, and not for children. These are both dark comedies, but somehow with in the darkness is  a light outlook, and acceptance that life is full of ups and down, and at no point is there ever a "normal" state.  I think it's brilliant the way Elliot is able to bring such hilarity and lightness to subject matters which are somber, and somewhat dismal. What I take from this is that life does have dark points for most of us, and it's in the outlook we have, and the way we deal with what is in front of us that sets the mood.
I am recommending both of these movies with thumbs way up!

Today's Etsy Item

Periwinkle blue Enchanted Vessel ®

My Etsy item today is a 2" tall, specially priced Enchanted Vessel ®. Periwinkle blue with black and white bulls-eye dots it is adorned with a small crystal on top. Persons fascinated by the small blown glass vessels that I make will benefit from purchasing from my Etsy store, as I have exclusive pricing via my Etsy
These Enchanted Vessels ®  help you connect to your dreams,
Memories, wishes, hopes and prayers. There are many uses for these vessels.  Put a love note into one and give it to your beloved… Keep a prayer or affirmation close to you…
Hold a bit of sand or earth form a favorite place… Carry a memory, or a token of someone close to you…
Glass art for fairies, wishes, love notes, and all precious thoughts and emotions.
Do Not Heat or Add Hot liquids

The Wine Glass Charm

Hand made glass beads on a silver plate hoop will tag your guests wine glass as theirs for the evening. See these and more in my Etsy shop.

Painting Maple Leaves Orange-Wash

Here they are again. In this version I am using the acrylic paint in a wash. I played with color and technique. This was an earlier version, and I am just  now listing it on Etsy.

What is next

I got to be in the hot shop last night blowing glass. I am very rusty, but it is coming back to me after about 5 weeks at 2 hours a week. That is not a lot of blow time. Of course, I like the rest of the United States, am affected by the poor economy. Blowing glass is expensive, and people generally are not buying much art these days, it is not economical for me to go in to the shop more to work. I look forward to the day that it is. I am fortunate to enjoy other art-forms which are less expensive for me to do. I love to create, and from an early age being an artist is all I can remember ever wanting to be. I will pick up my pieces in the next few days and post photos.

Green and Orange Maple Leaf Finished

A vibrant and expressive painting I enjoyed playing in paint layers, colors, and textures. Sometimes painting is my interpretation of what is in front of me, and other times, as in this painting it is about the process and play time.

I have completed this painting, and it's listed on Etsy for sale.

Green and Orange Maple Leaf Further along

Here is the most recent maple leaf painting a little further along. I am almost finished working on this one. I painted it upside down not realizing that I had the hanger on the bottom. Luckily this one goes both ways! I like this design I like my use of color, and texture. Enjoying working this design very much. I have 4 versions of this one, one of which is posted for sale on etsy.

Green Maple Leaf In progress

Acrylic painting on masonite in progress. I am almost finished with this one. I have done many maple leaves. I like the five points, and the little pointy offshoots. I keep working this same image in different styles to see where I can take it. This one will have thicker paint, and some graphic line work on it.