Ok, if I am the "writing" part is done and the compiling work is just starting. I’m taking a look at the series of garnished poems I did a while back. I’m considering putting them together into a book of poetry garnished with watercolors and such. I have 36 images at this time, could make more if I decided it was needed. Which has led me to a dilemma.
Each 5x7 image could work beautifully on a page… thing is… how much white space do I leave? Should I do a garnished poem on every page or do one per right hand page so that they could be removed and framed if someone chose to? Suggestions and ideas welcome!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Telecheck Electronic Check "Solutions" (don't believe a word of that "Solutions" business!)
I don't generally talk about non-Art things on this blog. But I’ve had some trouble with my bank and Telecheck this weekend, so today I bring you a tale from the unseemly underworld of Electronic Check processing.
Our bank cards were involved in some kind of security failure, so they were all canceled and new ones were sent to our home. Only the bank had our old address and the cards were returned to sender and were destroyed. We were not contacted by the bank so we found out when hubby went to buy a few things at Wally’s and they declined first one card, and then his other card. He left Wally’s and headed straight to the bank where they explained the situation to him and he ordered all new cards and changed the address on the account. And to think, he had picked up a deli pizza for dinner!
I also had to go in and get new cards for my accounts, sign all the papers and confirm the address change. The lady at the desk was very sweet and helpful. So when my cards do finally come, I hope I can figure out which one goes with which account and which password goes to which card. It took me a month to sort out my cards the last time this “security breach” thing happened because the ATM likes to gobble them up and the folks inside can’t do much but offer you the card back to try again. Munch, retrieve, repeat… It’s like a game of fetch with a big loopy Labrador retriever who eats the stick and then comes back for you to throw another one anyway.
Friday evening I decided to stop at Goodwill to kill some time. I found some good glass and some clothing and handed over a check. She ran it through the system and my check was declined. Confused, I was surprised that there wasn’t enough money in that account so I gave her a check from another account. That check was declined also, twice. I was shocked! She showed me a 1-800 number to call so I left my un-purchases and stepped outside to make the call. A few minutes into the phone call I had given my routing number, my checking account number, a bunch of other private information and he asked me to confirm my name. So I spelled it for him and he royally screwed it up… repeatedly… like not even in the same ballpark. If you’re “confirming” my name, shouldn’t you have it in front of you? I started to get concerned because I had just given him a bunch of info about myself and my bank account and he sounded like he was spelling my name in Thai characters. Had I even dialed the right number? Who was this letter scrambling fool? Was this a scam? I was not amused. Suddenly I was not in the “Goodwill” mood!
I walked into the house and headed straight for the laptop… I checked my bank balances online and our money was still there, plenty to cover the $46 I just tried to spend. I was relieved, for a moment at least. Now who is the hack that kept me from spending my money? I got a bone to pick…
The bank has very short open hours on Saturday, and only one branch is open. So I drove across town and visited the lovely ladies at the other branch. As chance would have it, the same lady who put in the order for my new cards was the one who asked if she could help me. I told her the situation and she called in another woman who also knows me and is the boss at my usual branch office. So they tried to explain to me that it wasn’t anything to do with their bank. I looked at them and said that I have money in the account, I can’t spend it, how is this not the bank’s problem? She kept trying, I felt like I had ear plugs in cause it wasn’t getting through.
So they decided to help me by calling the 1-800 number on the receipt that I’d gotten at the not-so-Goodwill. The gentlemen refused to speak to them, so they handed the phone to me.
Lewis was his name. Lewis works for Telecheck Electronic Check Solutions, a company that processes checks in real time. Lewis told me that there wasn’t a problem on my account (thank you) and that he didn’t know why my check was declined. He gave me a list of five or six possible reasons why my check was declined but couldn’t tell me which reason it was.
“Lewis, you mean to tell me that I have money in my account, I attempted to spend it, your company denied me that privilege and you can’t tell me the reason why or guarantee that it won’t happen again?”
Poor Lewis was speechless and kept saying “excuse me?” whenever I gave him an especially nice bit of flack. Round and round I went with Lewis, and the ladies at the bank kept offering me other suggestions of things to ask. We triple teamed Lewis to no avail. He was as void of helpful information as a man could ever be.
I asked Lewis for his supervisor. Silence. “Lewis? Are you still there?” Yeah, Lewis was there. I tried again and finally he put me on hold for a very long time. He came back and said that the supervisor wasn’t available and he would not give me his/her name. Nope, not happening. I finally ran out of ideas, looked at the two tellers who were listening and they both apologetically shrugged.
“Lewis, what would you do if you were me and you needed a few things at the grocery?” I got nothing. I finally put Lewis out of my misery and hung up.
Meanwhile the branch manager had googled the company and found a second 1-800 number and so she got on her phone. She confirms that the 1-800 number we’d been using did actually go to that company. She explained that she was an officer at the bank and had a customer that needed assistance, would they help me? And that’s how I came to be speaking with Maria, my next victim.
All the same questions… all the same answers. But Maria was willing to do a bit more than Lewis was willing to do. Maria speculated that the reason my check was declined was my check writing history. Apparently I don’t write checks very often (well duh, I usually use my bank cards) and so they believed my purchase at Goodwill was out of character given my history. Therefore the check was declined.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, my check at Goodwill was declined because I don’t write checks very often.
I don’t write checks very often because I usually use my plastic, but my plastic had all been cut up by the lady at the bank after she’d ordered my new cards.
I explained to Maria that I had money in my account, and that I wanted to spend it. “Because I don’t write enough checks” wasn’t good enough reason for me not to be able to spend my own money! Dead silence on the line… I’m looking at the tellers, they are looking at me… we’re all shaking our heads at each other, incredulous. We went round for round, Maria and I. The tellers kept egging me on. I asked Maria how I was supposed to buy something if I knew that when I got to the checkout that I only had a 50/50 chance of having my check accepted? I asked Maria what she would do in my situation? How was I supposed to fix this problem that kept me from being able to spend my own money? I worked her over with each new idea that my bank tellers provided. Finally, Maria explained to me one final time that my check was declined because I don’t usually write checks and that was it. I was done! I was so livid I was shaking. “Make it stop!” I whimpered and handed the phone back to the teller who hung it up with a lovely little thud. It was over and we’d been there so long the bank was closing.
We all stood there, quietly for a bit. We looked at each other and shook our heads. They apologized profusely and I thanked them for their support like a Politian’s concession speech. It was over and I was thanking my supporters and preparing to leave public life (or at least the bank.) My peace loving husband spoke a few words of benediction and gratitude and we smiled politely and left.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am not impressed. At this point I don’t have debit cards, and if I decide I want to try writing a check, I’ve got a 50/50 chance of having it declined at any location that uses Telecheck Electronic Check Solutions. (And the word “SOLUTIONS” is in their NAME! Isn’t that hysterical?!) And I now have access to cash only during my bank’s open hours. And I have money in my accounts. I want to do my part to stimulate the economy, really I do. Telecheck Electronic Check Solutions gave me a “Solution” all right, but I am not amused!
No matter how bad this economy gets, no matter how much bad news I hear... I will always be grateful that I am not so desperate for a job that I must work for Telecheck like Lewis or Maria!
Our bank cards were involved in some kind of security failure, so they were all canceled and new ones were sent to our home. Only the bank had our old address and the cards were returned to sender and were destroyed. We were not contacted by the bank so we found out when hubby went to buy a few things at Wally’s and they declined first one card, and then his other card. He left Wally’s and headed straight to the bank where they explained the situation to him and he ordered all new cards and changed the address on the account. And to think, he had picked up a deli pizza for dinner!
I also had to go in and get new cards for my accounts, sign all the papers and confirm the address change. The lady at the desk was very sweet and helpful. So when my cards do finally come, I hope I can figure out which one goes with which account and which password goes to which card. It took me a month to sort out my cards the last time this “security breach” thing happened because the ATM likes to gobble them up and the folks inside can’t do much but offer you the card back to try again. Munch, retrieve, repeat… It’s like a game of fetch with a big loopy Labrador retriever who eats the stick and then comes back for you to throw another one anyway.
Friday evening I decided to stop at Goodwill to kill some time. I found some good glass and some clothing and handed over a check. She ran it through the system and my check was declined. Confused, I was surprised that there wasn’t enough money in that account so I gave her a check from another account. That check was declined also, twice. I was shocked! She showed me a 1-800 number to call so I left my un-purchases and stepped outside to make the call. A few minutes into the phone call I had given my routing number, my checking account number, a bunch of other private information and he asked me to confirm my name. So I spelled it for him and he royally screwed it up… repeatedly… like not even in the same ballpark. If you’re “confirming” my name, shouldn’t you have it in front of you? I started to get concerned because I had just given him a bunch of info about myself and my bank account and he sounded like he was spelling my name in Thai characters. Had I even dialed the right number? Who was this letter scrambling fool? Was this a scam? I was not amused. Suddenly I was not in the “Goodwill” mood!
I walked into the house and headed straight for the laptop… I checked my bank balances online and our money was still there, plenty to cover the $46 I just tried to spend. I was relieved, for a moment at least. Now who is the hack that kept me from spending my money? I got a bone to pick…
The bank has very short open hours on Saturday, and only one branch is open. So I drove across town and visited the lovely ladies at the other branch. As chance would have it, the same lady who put in the order for my new cards was the one who asked if she could help me. I told her the situation and she called in another woman who also knows me and is the boss at my usual branch office. So they tried to explain to me that it wasn’t anything to do with their bank. I looked at them and said that I have money in the account, I can’t spend it, how is this not the bank’s problem? She kept trying, I felt like I had ear plugs in cause it wasn’t getting through.
So they decided to help me by calling the 1-800 number on the receipt that I’d gotten at the not-so-Goodwill. The gentlemen refused to speak to them, so they handed the phone to me.
Lewis was his name. Lewis works for Telecheck Electronic Check Solutions, a company that processes checks in real time. Lewis told me that there wasn’t a problem on my account (thank you) and that he didn’t know why my check was declined. He gave me a list of five or six possible reasons why my check was declined but couldn’t tell me which reason it was.
“Lewis, you mean to tell me that I have money in my account, I attempted to spend it, your company denied me that privilege and you can’t tell me the reason why or guarantee that it won’t happen again?”
Poor Lewis was speechless and kept saying “excuse me?” whenever I gave him an especially nice bit of flack. Round and round I went with Lewis, and the ladies at the bank kept offering me other suggestions of things to ask. We triple teamed Lewis to no avail. He was as void of helpful information as a man could ever be.
I asked Lewis for his supervisor. Silence. “Lewis? Are you still there?” Yeah, Lewis was there. I tried again and finally he put me on hold for a very long time. He came back and said that the supervisor wasn’t available and he would not give me his/her name. Nope, not happening. I finally ran out of ideas, looked at the two tellers who were listening and they both apologetically shrugged.
“Lewis, what would you do if you were me and you needed a few things at the grocery?” I got nothing. I finally put Lewis out of my misery and hung up.
Meanwhile the branch manager had googled the company and found a second 1-800 number and so she got on her phone. She confirms that the 1-800 number we’d been using did actually go to that company. She explained that she was an officer at the bank and had a customer that needed assistance, would they help me? And that’s how I came to be speaking with Maria, my next victim.
All the same questions… all the same answers. But Maria was willing to do a bit more than Lewis was willing to do. Maria speculated that the reason my check was declined was my check writing history. Apparently I don’t write checks very often (well duh, I usually use my bank cards) and so they believed my purchase at Goodwill was out of character given my history. Therefore the check was declined.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, my check at Goodwill was declined because I don’t write checks very often.
I don’t write checks very often because I usually use my plastic, but my plastic had all been cut up by the lady at the bank after she’d ordered my new cards.
I explained to Maria that I had money in my account, and that I wanted to spend it. “Because I don’t write enough checks” wasn’t good enough reason for me not to be able to spend my own money! Dead silence on the line… I’m looking at the tellers, they are looking at me… we’re all shaking our heads at each other, incredulous. We went round for round, Maria and I. The tellers kept egging me on. I asked Maria how I was supposed to buy something if I knew that when I got to the checkout that I only had a 50/50 chance of having my check accepted? I asked Maria what she would do in my situation? How was I supposed to fix this problem that kept me from being able to spend my own money? I worked her over with each new idea that my bank tellers provided. Finally, Maria explained to me one final time that my check was declined because I don’t usually write checks and that was it. I was done! I was so livid I was shaking. “Make it stop!” I whimpered and handed the phone back to the teller who hung it up with a lovely little thud. It was over and we’d been there so long the bank was closing.
We all stood there, quietly for a bit. We looked at each other and shook our heads. They apologized profusely and I thanked them for their support like a Politian’s concession speech. It was over and I was thanking my supporters and preparing to leave public life (or at least the bank.) My peace loving husband spoke a few words of benediction and gratitude and we smiled politely and left.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am not impressed. At this point I don’t have debit cards, and if I decide I want to try writing a check, I’ve got a 50/50 chance of having it declined at any location that uses Telecheck Electronic Check Solutions. (And the word “SOLUTIONS” is in their NAME! Isn’t that hysterical?!) And I now have access to cash only during my bank’s open hours. And I have money in my accounts. I want to do my part to stimulate the economy, really I do. Telecheck Electronic Check Solutions gave me a “Solution” all right, but I am not amused!
No matter how bad this economy gets, no matter how much bad news I hear... I will always be grateful that I am not so desperate for a job that I must work for Telecheck like Lewis or Maria!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Making a Cordial Invitation
Today I made invitations for my parent’s 50th Anniversary Open House. I started out by printing up the information on the paper.
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I scanned in the photos and printed them out in small black and white squares, and trimmed them up on the paper cutter. My parents were such cute Mennonite kids when they married! And now they are seasoned and full of wisdom. :)
Add in a little colored paper in my Mother's favorite colors... lavender, purple, plum...
Trim them all up, make sure there are enough!
I used the paper cutter to crease the paper exactly on the measurement.
All the folded papers waiting for the photos to be attached:
So then I added the front photo to the left flap.
And using that as a guide I then placed the second photo directly behind it on the right flap.
So on the front is the old photo, after you open that you see the new photo and on the inside in the invitation.
There they are, alllll done! Yay! So they were stuffed, stamped, sealed with golden seals and sent on their way this evening. There's gonna be a party, and I'm doing the cake. It's going to be a fun celebration! :)
I'm delighted that these two got married some 50 years ago and that they had my brother and I. They are two amazing people (and my brother is spectacular!) and I'm a very lucky girl indeed to have them in my life. Thank You Jesus!
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I scanned in the photos and printed them out in small black and white squares, and trimmed them up on the paper cutter. My parents were such cute Mennonite kids when they married! And now they are seasoned and full of wisdom. :) 
Add in a little colored paper in my Mother's favorite colors... lavender, purple, plum...
Trim them all up, make sure there are enough!
I used the paper cutter to crease the paper exactly on the measurement.
All the folded papers waiting for the photos to be attached:
So then I added the front photo to the left flap.
And using that as a guide I then placed the second photo directly behind it on the right flap.
So on the front is the old photo, after you open that you see the new photo and on the inside in the invitation.
There they are, alllll done! Yay! So they were stuffed, stamped, sealed with golden seals and sent on their way this evening. There's gonna be a party, and I'm doing the cake. It's going to be a fun celebration! :)
I'm delighted that these two got married some 50 years ago and that they had my brother and I. They are two amazing people (and my brother is spectacular!) and I'm a very lucky girl indeed to have them in my life. Thank You Jesus!Wednesday, March 25, 2009
A quilt for today
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This little bitty quilt is no more than 7.5 x 7.75 inches. I’ve used one of my old art prints on watercolor paper in there which adds an interesting texture. The rest of the fabric is hand dyed plus a piece of batik. I was pleased by how quickly it came together, that fusible stuff is pretty amazing and works on paper as well as it does on the fabric. This little quilt taught me that sewing through paper will require some adjustments but at this point I don't mind the purple bobbin thread showing. It seems to fit with the other intentional imperfections such as the fraying edge.
I think I’ll call it “Catharsis.” There is a sense in which the beautiful parts, the poetry and vibrancy is in the distance framed by the present reality that requires moving through the current grief and fraying edges. It is fitting for a new round of personal and private grieving that has become an assertive companion of late.
“She was no longer wrestling with the grief, but could sit down with it as a lasting companion and make it a sharer in her thoughts.” ~George Eliot
Monday, March 23, 2009
Shenandoah Moon Quilt
12.75 x 16 inches$220
Hand dyed fabrics, photo techniques, vintage fabric and various cottons.
Machine and hand quilting, with embellishments
vintage buttons, beads and notions.
Machine and hand quilting, with embellishments
vintage buttons, beads and notions.
This piece is inspired by the local production of Shenandoah Moon. It’s the story of the building of the Skyline Drive through the mountains of Virginia and the people who were displaced along the way. It’s funny and at times sad and poignant. It’s a musical written locally by some very talented folks.
I spent some time with the Library of Congress photographs of the actual people displaced by the building of the park, it was interesting to see those faces and the houses they lived in. The photograph of the woman and her four children on the left is the closest thing I could find to the character I portray in the production. The photo of the cabin on the right is a place someone called home. The old twisted up apple tree is a reminder that these folks lost not just their homes but their professions. The roots are visible to suggest their roots to family and the land that were broken as they were forced out.
Driving the Skyline Drive of Virginia is a beautiful experience for a pretty afternoon, it’s great to stop and take photographs and soak in the natural beauty. But it’s also interesting to consider the stories beneath the surface.
Find the novel by Duane Hahn here.
Read about the musical production here. That's me playing Mollie Shifflett. :)
I spent some time with the Library of Congress photographs of the actual people displaced by the building of the park, it was interesting to see those faces and the houses they lived in. The photograph of the woman and her four children on the left is the closest thing I could find to the character I portray in the production. The photo of the cabin on the right is a place someone called home. The old twisted up apple tree is a reminder that these folks lost not just their homes but their professions. The roots are visible to suggest their roots to family and the land that were broken as they were forced out.
Driving the Skyline Drive of Virginia is a beautiful experience for a pretty afternoon, it’s great to stop and take photographs and soak in the natural beauty. But it’s also interesting to consider the stories beneath the surface.
Find the novel by Duane Hahn here.
Read about the musical production here. That's me playing Mollie Shifflett. :)
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Shenandoah Moon Quilt
Yesterday I started a project that has been running around in my head quite a bit. I’ve done some research into the people who were displaced by the building of the Skyline Drive here in Virginia back in the day. (All brought on by the production of Shenandoah Moon that I’m in.) And I’ve struggled with it some because I am not crazy about some of these old colors but I wanted to keep a kind of old fashioned feel to the elements. I used two of my fabrics dyed with fabric paints for the sky and moon - that ended up being kind of an interesting combination. I found some photographs on the Library of Congress site of the actual folks and a photo of a cabin as well. I printed them out on fabric and gave them some quality time with my iron to set the ink. The woman is as close as I could come to a photo of someone that would look like my character should look. The little cabin kind of looks like a tombstone, which I didn't intend but I don't mind.
So I started by fusing up some fabric and starting to play around with the options. It came together fairly easily and before long I was digging around in my box of vintage lace for something that looked really old that I could use to suggest fog. It’s been foggy here in the mornings for the last few days and I remember that when we lived on the mountain many mornings would find the valley below us fogged in nicely with the folds of the mountains showing above the blanket of fog. I happened to find an ancient bit of ultra fine cotton, very worn and stained in places with freyed edges. It was a nice addition.
I got everything fused down and started with some machine quilting. I toyed with the idea of adding an apple tree, since the people who left had to leave their orchards as well, the government took their homes and their profession away from them. I debated and considered… and then took the iron to that tree and that was that.
A bunch more quilting and then I started into some hand quilting and I’ve been adding some buttons to suggest the apples and I don’t know what else I’ll add. I have a small bag of vintage buttons that I’m using, there are some really cool ones in here!
I’m babysitting a gallery today so it is unlikely that I’ll get much more done. Who knows. I would love to finish the binding today but I don't know when I'd fit it in with everything else. We'll see.
So I started by fusing up some fabric and starting to play around with the options. It came together fairly easily and before long I was digging around in my box of vintage lace for something that looked really old that I could use to suggest fog. It’s been foggy here in the mornings for the last few days and I remember that when we lived on the mountain many mornings would find the valley below us fogged in nicely with the folds of the mountains showing above the blanket of fog. I happened to find an ancient bit of ultra fine cotton, very worn and stained in places with freyed edges. It was a nice addition.
I got everything fused down and started with some machine quilting. I toyed with the idea of adding an apple tree, since the people who left had to leave their orchards as well, the government took their homes and their profession away from them. I debated and considered… and then took the iron to that tree and that was that.
A bunch more quilting and then I started into some hand quilting and I’ve been adding some buttons to suggest the apples and I don’t know what else I’ll add. I have a small bag of vintage buttons that I’m using, there are some really cool ones in here!
I’m babysitting a gallery today so it is unlikely that I’ll get much more done. Who knows. I would love to finish the binding today but I don't know when I'd fit it in with everything else. We'll see.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Weaving Rainbows into Glass
Someone emailed me with a question about art glass and I am sorry, I have missplaced your email. I don't know where it went. So feel free to email me again if you'd like. But while I’m here maybe I’ll write some about my work in art glass.
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I work in reclaimed glass. The glass has already been shaped and served its usefulness once. I make the rounds of local stores such as Goodwill and friends keep a look out for glass for me. I apply glaze on a potter’s wheel, the glazes and textures are spun on. This way I can create fields of color without much in the way of brush strokes, which can be very distracting to a design. The glazes are an amazing blend of smart chemistry and beautiful colors. After they are painted and fully dried, I thermo-harden them and they become dishwasher resistant. The whole process can take a number of days to finish from the first wash to the final firing. The firing process can be a delicate dance because of the various ways glass interacts with heat, so I’ve learned to take the heat very slowly and cool down very carefully. The colors may be matte or glossy, may have an iridescent sheen and metallic or pearl details. They are non-toxic and food safe though I don’t do much in the way of food serving dishes. Most of the shapes I work with are best on their own, but flowers and candles can be a nice addition. Most of my work is in vivid colors, rarely less than three colors per item, and most of the time more. I’ve done some commissioned pieces in special request colors but that is quite rare.
I have a nice collection of some of my favorite pieces around the house. My favorite display is in the two street facing windows of my family room to be enjoyed from inside and out. I consider this a revolving display and I add something and remove something each time I produce new work. I often work in series, creating groupings of vases of similar shapes and color scheme. This makes decorating especially fun if the client wants to display them in a grouping or use them throughout rooms to unify and balance the colors of a space.
I have art glass all over the US and in Japan, Germany, France, UAE, and a bunch of other countries that escape my memory at the moment. Believe it or not, glass tends to ship pretty well. I do corporate gifts and have shipped glass around the world for some exceptional folks at GE.
During the busy season of October through the Holidays it is all I can do to produce enough work for the demand, that is why I’ve never put art glass for sale online. All pieces are unique and it is hard to get it all photographed and listed before it’s gone. That doesn’t bother me at all.
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Here are some links to a few posts loaded up with lots of photos to look through. I don’t have a photography set up in place yet so I’ve been using the back porch for some of these photos. Natural light is best anyway. So check this out, and this, and O! and this…
I spent some time with a reporter years ago and when the article came back she had called me a “Master of Color” which struck me as really strange at the time. I understand that it is a very nice compliment and I do appreciate the sentiment. I think I am more a servant of color than a master of it. I have had a lifelong love affair with color, I think that is why making art glass is so right for me. I had a vision once where I danced within a rainbow, it encircled me like ribbons of fabric but more elusive and transparent and iridescent, and unfettered by gravity. That’s heaven for me, being wrapped in rainbows.
Oh, and while in the archives looking for the old posts about glass, I came across this self portrait.
I work in reclaimed glass. The glass has already been shaped and served its usefulness once. I make the rounds of local stores such as Goodwill and friends keep a look out for glass for me. I apply glaze on a potter’s wheel, the glazes and textures are spun on. This way I can create fields of color without much in the way of brush strokes, which can be very distracting to a design. The glazes are an amazing blend of smart chemistry and beautiful colors. After they are painted and fully dried, I thermo-harden them and they become dishwasher resistant. The whole process can take a number of days to finish from the first wash to the final firing. The firing process can be a delicate dance because of the various ways glass interacts with heat, so I’ve learned to take the heat very slowly and cool down very carefully. The colors may be matte or glossy, may have an iridescent sheen and metallic or pearl details. They are non-toxic and food safe though I don’t do much in the way of food serving dishes. Most of the shapes I work with are best on their own, but flowers and candles can be a nice addition. Most of my work is in vivid colors, rarely less than three colors per item, and most of the time more. I’ve done some commissioned pieces in special request colors but that is quite rare.
I have a nice collection of some of my favorite pieces around the house. My favorite display is in the two street facing windows of my family room to be enjoyed from inside and out. I consider this a revolving display and I add something and remove something each time I produce new work. I often work in series, creating groupings of vases of similar shapes and color scheme. This makes decorating especially fun if the client wants to display them in a grouping or use them throughout rooms to unify and balance the colors of a space.
I have art glass all over the US and in Japan, Germany, France, UAE, and a bunch of other countries that escape my memory at the moment. Believe it or not, glass tends to ship pretty well. I do corporate gifts and have shipped glass around the world for some exceptional folks at GE.
During the busy season of October through the Holidays it is all I can do to produce enough work for the demand, that is why I’ve never put art glass for sale online. All pieces are unique and it is hard to get it all photographed and listed before it’s gone. That doesn’t bother me at all.
.JPG)
Here are some links to a few posts loaded up with lots of photos to look through. I don’t have a photography set up in place yet so I’ve been using the back porch for some of these photos. Natural light is best anyway. So check this out, and this, and O! and this…
I spent some time with a reporter years ago and when the article came back she had called me a “Master of Color” which struck me as really strange at the time. I understand that it is a very nice compliment and I do appreciate the sentiment. I think I am more a servant of color than a master of it. I have had a lifelong love affair with color, I think that is why making art glass is so right for me. I had a vision once where I danced within a rainbow, it encircled me like ribbons of fabric but more elusive and transparent and iridescent, and unfettered by gravity. That’s heaven for me, being wrapped in rainbows.
Oh, and while in the archives looking for the old posts about glass, I came across this self portrait.
Shenandoah Shopping Spree
I pulled into my parking place at Walmart this morning to pick up a few last groceries for our dinner party tonight. I’m making a homemade margarita pizza with spicey shrimp and another one our local pizza place calls “The Shenandoah.” Some of the guests are bringing salads. And for desert I’m making my secret recipe chocolate cake with raspberry filling. Plus fresh strawberries, pineapple and kumquats with my favorite fruit strawberry lime yogurt dip.
I realized walking into the store that the gentlemen who pulled in only seconds after me was now walking beside me. It seemed strange to be walking with someone without acknowledging them so I looked over at him. Just in time to see him hock up a loogie and spit it on the pavement. Oh! The revulsion and regret hit me like a double whammy!
Another woman was walking directly toward me, I looked at her expecting to give her a cheery “good morning” when she acknowledged me but she never looked up, even though we passed by rather close. It struck me as strange.
In the boonies, if you park next to someone and walk toward a building – “howdy’s” and “good morning’s” are exchanged. You’ll hear things like: “Right nice weather today, ain’t it?” “Yes ma’am, isabeen a cold un.” “I reckon it’s a-gonna snow.” When you live in the most rural parts of Virginia and drive in to get your mail at the post office, the person walking toward you expects to recognize you. And if you grew up locally, then they very likely know your family and your ancestors along with a list of the epic pranks, and the tragedies and triumphs along the way. It’s impossible to be invisible in those places. When we first moved there it struck me as odd to make eye contact and exchange pleasantries with the old timers on the streets in the morning. After a while I realized that it’s part of the charm of the place, these people have roots and attachments to the land and each other. Those are cords that aren’t easily broken.
Maybe it’s the production of “Shenandoah Moon” that we’re working on that has me thinking about my old life in rural Virginia. I spent some time in Beldoor Hollow east of Elkton as a child. And I vividly remember sitting out on the steps of a country church on a summer night listening to the calls of the whippoorwill. Even in the still part of the night that place was full of an orchestra of wildlife sounds. It made an impression on me as a child. It was as hauntingly beautiful, and even when I lived and worked in the urban world of Northern Indiana, I remembered that sound. I wrote a song about it many years later, its lyrics speak of solitude and peace.
Shane and I lived for about six years in one of the most rural parts of Virginia, back in the wilderness. I used to tell people to go to the ‘boonies,’ turn left, drive for thirty minutes until they got to ‘middle of nowhere.’ Turn left, drive another thirty minutes and you’d find us. We rented a place on a 300 acre horse ranch. We were the last ones at the top of a mile long lane. There was no need for curtains on the windows and the view from our little patch of the ridge was amazing. There was no privacy fence around the hot tub and skinny dipping under the stars was a treat for the senses. We loved the wildlife for the most part, except for the spiders and the skunks. Our dogs each only got sprayed twice each, though they played with the skunks rather often.
That land got down deep into my soul, and of all the places I’ve ever lived, I’ve never loved any place so intently. I loved looking out to see what mood the mountains were in each morning from the eight east facing windows the length of our bed. The display was different each morning. Fog, rain, sunshine or snow… it’s all beautiful from out there. I remember a particular thunder storm with hail was a spectacular and violent display that wrapped me up in its wildness. I still miss the wild beauty of that place that breaks your heart and mends it, all at the same time.
The Shenandoah Moon story follows families displaced by the building of Skyline Drive in Virginia back in 1933. It explores those themes of loving the land, of having roots and a sense of home, only to have it all taken away by the government and assisted by poverty. There’s some defiance and anger in the tale and hints of profound sadness and grieving. I can identify with loving the land like those people did. No matter where I’ve been since, nothing has seemed quite as beautiful in comparison.
This photo is how I imagine the character I'm playing, Molly Shifflett and her husband Jesse.
As I was finishing up my shopping trip/muse I began to see one man a little too often. I dubbed him “Mr. Creepy” and kept an eye out for this man who didn’t seem to be really shopping but rather just watching. As I was gathering up some cheese I overheard the Manager and two employees talking about some product that had turned up missing. I made eye contact with the manager and we both just shook our heads over it. Silly humans! Oh, and there’s Mr. Creepy again.
I shared interest in spoons with an elderly couple. The old gent suggested that I keep a tight watch on my purse because there had been some thefts that they were aware of. I joked that a thief might be disappointed with the contents of my purse but still, it would be a hassle. The tall slender woman was a bit stooped with deep smile lines and snow white hair. She told me not to worry, they were targeting old women. I told her she should be safe then also. They both crinkled into grins and moved on their slow shuffling way.
And as I left the store I passed Mr. Creepy sitting on the bench in the entrance. It was a good reminder of why people don’t make eye contact in the store here. I missed the wilderness of Virginia just then. Not for long though. Because within ten minutes I was home putting away my groceries. Yes, civilization has its perks such as a quick drive home. But I miss living that intimately with the mountains. Yes, I do.
I realized walking into the store that the gentlemen who pulled in only seconds after me was now walking beside me. It seemed strange to be walking with someone without acknowledging them so I looked over at him. Just in time to see him hock up a loogie and spit it on the pavement. Oh! The revulsion and regret hit me like a double whammy!
Another woman was walking directly toward me, I looked at her expecting to give her a cheery “good morning” when she acknowledged me but she never looked up, even though we passed by rather close. It struck me as strange.
In the boonies, if you park next to someone and walk toward a building – “howdy’s” and “good morning’s” are exchanged. You’ll hear things like: “Right nice weather today, ain’t it?” “Yes ma’am, isabeen a cold un.” “I reckon it’s a-gonna snow.” When you live in the most rural parts of Virginia and drive in to get your mail at the post office, the person walking toward you expects to recognize you. And if you grew up locally, then they very likely know your family and your ancestors along with a list of the epic pranks, and the tragedies and triumphs along the way. It’s impossible to be invisible in those places. When we first moved there it struck me as odd to make eye contact and exchange pleasantries with the old timers on the streets in the morning. After a while I realized that it’s part of the charm of the place, these people have roots and attachments to the land and each other. Those are cords that aren’t easily broken.
Maybe it’s the production of “Shenandoah Moon” that we’re working on that has me thinking about my old life in rural Virginia. I spent some time in Beldoor Hollow east of Elkton as a child. And I vividly remember sitting out on the steps of a country church on a summer night listening to the calls of the whippoorwill. Even in the still part of the night that place was full of an orchestra of wildlife sounds. It made an impression on me as a child. It was as hauntingly beautiful, and even when I lived and worked in the urban world of Northern Indiana, I remembered that sound. I wrote a song about it many years later, its lyrics speak of solitude and peace.
Shane and I lived for about six years in one of the most rural parts of Virginia, back in the wilderness. I used to tell people to go to the ‘boonies,’ turn left, drive for thirty minutes until they got to ‘middle of nowhere.’ Turn left, drive another thirty minutes and you’d find us. We rented a place on a 300 acre horse ranch. We were the last ones at the top of a mile long lane. There was no need for curtains on the windows and the view from our little patch of the ridge was amazing. There was no privacy fence around the hot tub and skinny dipping under the stars was a treat for the senses. We loved the wildlife for the most part, except for the spiders and the skunks. Our dogs each only got sprayed twice each, though they played with the skunks rather often.
That land got down deep into my soul, and of all the places I’ve ever lived, I’ve never loved any place so intently. I loved looking out to see what mood the mountains were in each morning from the eight east facing windows the length of our bed. The display was different each morning. Fog, rain, sunshine or snow… it’s all beautiful from out there. I remember a particular thunder storm with hail was a spectacular and violent display that wrapped me up in its wildness. I still miss the wild beauty of that place that breaks your heart and mends it, all at the same time.
The Shenandoah Moon story follows families displaced by the building of Skyline Drive in Virginia back in 1933. It explores those themes of loving the land, of having roots and a sense of home, only to have it all taken away by the government and assisted by poverty. There’s some defiance and anger in the tale and hints of profound sadness and grieving. I can identify with loving the land like those people did. No matter where I’ve been since, nothing has seemed quite as beautiful in comparison.
This photo is how I imagine the character I'm playing, Molly Shifflett and her husband Jesse.As I was finishing up my shopping trip/muse I began to see one man a little too often. I dubbed him “Mr. Creepy” and kept an eye out for this man who didn’t seem to be really shopping but rather just watching. As I was gathering up some cheese I overheard the Manager and two employees talking about some product that had turned up missing. I made eye contact with the manager and we both just shook our heads over it. Silly humans! Oh, and there’s Mr. Creepy again.
I shared interest in spoons with an elderly couple. The old gent suggested that I keep a tight watch on my purse because there had been some thefts that they were aware of. I joked that a thief might be disappointed with the contents of my purse but still, it would be a hassle. The tall slender woman was a bit stooped with deep smile lines and snow white hair. She told me not to worry, they were targeting old women. I told her she should be safe then also. They both crinkled into grins and moved on their slow shuffling way.
And as I left the store I passed Mr. Creepy sitting on the bench in the entrance. It was a good reminder of why people don’t make eye contact in the store here. I missed the wilderness of Virginia just then. Not for long though. Because within ten minutes I was home putting away my groceries. Yes, civilization has its perks such as a quick drive home. But I miss living that intimately with the mountains. Yes, I do.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Color Play
When I finally got some studio time today, I started by ironing out my freshly dyed colors. All that color, what’s not to love? And when you look up close they have a variety of patterns (this is dyed white on white fabric) plus with the wrinkles in the dye there is a lot to look at if you get up close. 
I started building strip color ways… a bit tedious. But thankfully I had company in the studio today. Our exchange students were working next to me in my jewelry studio making fun things. It was fun to see how much they enjoyed making their necklaces and earrings. And who knows, maybe I’ll return to jewelry making when I get a moment. Ha ha!
I sliced them and diced them and this is how they looked. I have paired them with white and a pale taupe, I love the white, not so sure of the taupe. But with the taupe walls in my room, this seems like a reasonable choice.
Sandwich it between chunks of hand dyed fabric? Naaah… not lovin it. I shall have a better idea tomorrow. Right now I'm toast.Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Here’s a fast forward look at my day. Off to work and then home to our exchange students. The girls and I made soap, they picked their colors and fragrances and they turned out cute. That’s my massage bar at the top and the little heart bar we made for Miss G, one of the staff members at their boarding school.
Then I made stamps out of a potato and we used them to make some polka dots. That was fun.
Then I dyed some stuff. Yeah, that white on white fabric is a bear to get the color into, but the way the color reacts to the white printing is pretty cool in my opinion. But this time I was good and did not disturb the drying process.
I didn’t have time to… making dinner (roasted chicken was amazing!) and then off to play practice and then coming home to find them in the middle of “Little Women” which is a movie that makes me cry. It has been a good day.
Tomorrow a jewelry project with the girls and then I'm going to iron and maybe do some planning for my next quilt series - the sofa cushions.
Then I made stamps out of a potato and we used them to make some polka dots. That was fun.
Then I dyed some stuff. Yeah, that white on white fabric is a bear to get the color into, but the way the color reacts to the white printing is pretty cool in my opinion. But this time I was good and did not disturb the drying process.
I didn’t have time to… making dinner (roasted chicken was amazing!) and then off to play practice and then coming home to find them in the middle of “Little Women” which is a movie that makes me cry. It has been a good day.
Tomorrow a jewelry project with the girls and then I'm going to iron and maybe do some planning for my next quilt series - the sofa cushions.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Impatient dyer
My project of the week is my sofa. Well, actually the project of my week is to host two international students from a local boarding school who are on Spring Break. It is good to have them here, I hope to pry them from their studies long enough to spend some time in the studio with me. We’ll see how successful I am at that.
So the OTHER project of my week is my sofa. Right now it is completely ordinary and who knows how many of these are all over the country that look exactly like this?! (Oy!) That’s my fault for buying one off the show room floor, I do know better, but the price was certainly right. And I knew I wanted to cover it anyway. I’ve decided to make it look a little more like me. It has good bones, that is what counts. So I have a dark blue twill slip cover that will handle everything but the back cushions, and I want to make quilted pillow covers dripping with glorious color. The denim slip will be washable, the pillow covers will be washable… it should be ideal for the two dogs, two humans and eventually three lil bitty humans that will use the sofa. Or at least in theory.
So I started dying some fabric in a pan designed for marbling fabric. (formerly a white pan, now a pan of many colors!) I got really impatient and wanted to see how things were going so I pulled the fabric out of the pan loooooong before it was dry enough to be moved. (rooky mistake)
Melody calls herself the lazy dyer (don’t believe it) I am the impatient dyer. Well, not that I can reasonably put myself in the same sentence with Melody the Pro… but my impatience IS legendary. So even with my learning curve I still have some pretty colors, and who knows, if I pull out the shimmery fabric paints, I might end up with something really interesting. Who knows?!
I love the exploration!
So the OTHER project of my week is my sofa. Right now it is completely ordinary and who knows how many of these are all over the country that look exactly like this?! (Oy!) That’s my fault for buying one off the show room floor, I do know better, but the price was certainly right. And I knew I wanted to cover it anyway. I’ve decided to make it look a little more like me. It has good bones, that is what counts. So I have a dark blue twill slip cover that will handle everything but the back cushions, and I want to make quilted pillow covers dripping with glorious color. The denim slip will be washable, the pillow covers will be washable… it should be ideal for the two dogs, two humans and eventually three lil bitty humans that will use the sofa. Or at least in theory.
So I started dying some fabric in a pan designed for marbling fabric. (formerly a white pan, now a pan of many colors!) I got really impatient and wanted to see how things were going so I pulled the fabric out of the pan loooooong before it was dry enough to be moved. (rooky mistake)
Melody calls herself the lazy dyer (don’t believe it) I am the impatient dyer. Well, not that I can reasonably put myself in the same sentence with Melody the Pro… but my impatience IS legendary. So even with my learning curve I still have some pretty colors, and who knows, if I pull out the shimmery fabric paints, I might end up with something really interesting. Who knows?!
I love the exploration!
Toy Drop
I ran across this in Brooke’s blog and I really love this idea. It’s called a toy drop. Check out her "Kerfuffle." He is adorable! You make a toy, put instructions with it and then package it up neatly and leave it somewhere where someone might happen across it in a public place. Cutest idea! I might have to try this, if only there were enough hours in the day… Find out all about it here.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Bedroom Makeover Progress
I'm on my way out the door to babysit a gallery for the day but wanted to post these two photos to show off this cute little room. Work is progressing and we hope one of our young guests enjoys her time here.
I'm especially happy with how the wall hanging and the Ikea fabric (curtains, pillow sham) seem made for each other. That was fun.
It's an eclectic mix of old and new with fun cheerful colors. You can't see an oil painting of daffodils that is on the wall by the door, and the two small prints are tulips. Apparently I'm ready for Spring.
I'm especially happy with how the wall hanging and the Ikea fabric (curtains, pillow sham) seem made for each other. That was fun.
It's an eclectic mix of old and new with fun cheerful colors. You can't see an oil painting of daffodils that is on the wall by the door, and the two small prints are tulips. Apparently I'm ready for Spring.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Transformations
Whew, I’m a weary one but we got a lot done today. Hubby had the day off of school thanks to the snow. We ran some errands this morning, and came home with a gallon of paint for the bedroom. We painted everything; the trim took a number of coats. So we started out with this blue from 1975 and natural wood trim.
And ended up with a pale lime green with white trim. I had given a fresh coat of black to an antique bed we’ve schlepped with us each time we moved though at least eight houses now. I bought it at a yard sale well over a decade ago. So we’ve got that moved in and a new mattress. Tomorrow the fun stuff: curtains, artwork, linens and who knows what else. The room needs to be ready for guests by Friday. We’re getting a few international students on Spring Break. Should be fun.
Three little ornaments for the blue kitchen. These little stars are made from shells from the last time I visited the Outer Banks. I look at these and think of waking up to the sounds of the ocean, sitting up in bed to watch the sunrise over the water. I met an artist while I was there who worked in sea shells and I found her work inspiring. So after an expensive trip to the sea shell store I came home with a few ornaments and a box full of possibilities.
A few days ago I finished stripping the top of the table. I'll hit it with some fine sand paper and put a new finish on it when I get a chance. Oh, and I'm going to darken the legs and skirt of the table. When I get a chance.
I love these little details where the woods meet. Those dowel dots are just plain COOL!
Well, I'm due for a cup of tea and a little snuggle with a pooch on the sofa in front of the tv.
And ended up with a pale lime green with white trim. I had given a fresh coat of black to an antique bed we’ve schlepped with us each time we moved though at least eight houses now. I bought it at a yard sale well over a decade ago. So we’ve got that moved in and a new mattress. Tomorrow the fun stuff: curtains, artwork, linens and who knows what else. The room needs to be ready for guests by Friday. We’re getting a few international students on Spring Break. Should be fun. 
Three little ornaments for the blue kitchen. These little stars are made from shells from the last time I visited the Outer Banks. I look at these and think of waking up to the sounds of the ocean, sitting up in bed to watch the sunrise over the water. I met an artist while I was there who worked in sea shells and I found her work inspiring. So after an expensive trip to the sea shell store I came home with a few ornaments and a box full of possibilities.
A few days ago I finished stripping the top of the table. I'll hit it with some fine sand paper and put a new finish on it when I get a chance. Oh, and I'm going to darken the legs and skirt of the table. When I get a chance.
I love these little details where the woods meet. Those dowel dots are just plain COOL!
Well, I'm due for a cup of tea and a little snuggle with a pooch on the sofa in front of the tv.
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