Mountain Lake

Mountain Lake

These beads are spectacular! If I do say so myself. I am really enjoying my experiments with boro, I love the etherial look you can get with it. These beads have some gorgeous turquoise pools next to khaki and some crackling.

WWYD?

What new thing would you learn if you had the time and the money?

I’d learn larger functional metal working. I’ve been itching to try some larger pieces, maybe some forging. I watched some of the bowl forming at the MISSA class during the summer and I really yearn to try it. I’m hoping to take the class in 2012!

Featured Artist - Julie Van Ember

Julie Van Ember is another Canadian beadmaker. I adore her marbles! Check out her shop she has some stunning pieces. She lives in Alberta and I admit I am a tad jealous, if I could chose any place to be in Canada other than here it'd be Alberta.

How long have you been working in your medium?

I've been lampworking since 2004.

What drew you to this medium?

As with many other hot glass artists, I started out in stained glass. After several years of that, I took a beginner class at the torch.

What's your favorite piece?

Can't really say that I have one at the moment, usually it is my most current work.

What's the hardest piece you've ever made?

I think off mandrel sculptures and marbles are my most challenging pieces.

What’s the one favorite tool you cannot live without?

My brass stump shaper.

What’s your favorite thing about your workspace or studio?

What I really enjoy about my lampworking workspace, is the fact that it takes up so little space. Although a whole room or small building could be turned into a studio, my stainless steel table is really all the space I need. Having said that, my future plans once I move, is a full room with at least 3 torches set up so I can have friends over to play.

What is your other craft?

I still dabble in stained glass and stained glass mosaics. Lately, I've taken up knitting toques as a pass time during the long winter evenings. Crocheting with wire crochet while incorporating beads is another art form that I thoroughly enjoy.

Who or what inspires you? ( include links if you have them)

I've taken classes with well over a dozen renouned lampworkers, so I can't pick just one person that inspires me. But living on the bank of a river, the astounding excitement and beauty of the great outdoors is never far from my mind

What's your favorite inspirational saying?

Although I wouldn't necessarily call this inspirational, I pretty much go with 'go big or go home' for much of my work. I enjoy having a large canvass to decorate plus building beads/marbles from the inside out which in turn creates a large mass of glass.

What's one thing you've never done you always wanted to do?

Go to Australia. Even though my heart belongs in Italy (for the love of glass), Australia is on my list of things to do.

Drag racing

Yup, thats me driving a drag car! Who'd have thought! It's no secret my husband has a large car collection. It's also no secret it drives me crazy on a regular basis, our yard and shops are full beyond full. The clutter often makes me a bit grumpy.

When my husband asked if I wanted to give drag racing a try I first thought "are you INSANE!" no way, nope, nu uh, not ever. Then I went and watched him race, WELL it looked kinda fun. There were also a few girls racing. Cori, a friend of mine had raced years past and was talking about getting a car to race soon. That got me interested. Teresa, the girl who cares for our place when we are away racing round track. That got me even more interested. I mulled it over......

Why not try it!? I went a couple weekends ago for the first time and boy was I nervous. There is a lot to remember and a lot to do! I wasn't all that hooked at first. Then I did a burnout ............ WELL what fun is that!

I'm still trying to remember everything and the shifting is still a bit of a challenge for me, but so far it's been a positive experience. A bit of a bucket list kinda thing!

A challenge

I’ve been struggling this year with one thing consistently, finishing the metal studio. I got the walls filled, sanded and painted with great gusto. Found a work bench and some cabinets. Set up my soldering bench and some cork boards.

And, then, there it is. I’ve been working in it but haven’t managed to get the rest done.

I have plumbing to connect. The sink and pipes are there and ready but the plumber needs to come do the connections, and he really doesn’t seem t understand how badly I want to get this finished! Once the sink is in I can get the cabinets hung and get the machining bench set up. This is something I’ve been dying to do! I want all my heavy tools bolted to a bench, and they’ll stay there! Ready to use when I need them. I’ve also got three more inspiration boards I’d like to hang and a couple pieces of art that need to go up on the walls.

I wonder why this seems to be taking me so long?

Craft Project

What craft project have you started lately? Care to share a link?

My week vacation

I spent the last week at a glass get away with friends in Chinook. Of course being the terrible blogger I am I took about three photos total, sorry!

I had a wonderful time! I flew into Seattle and met up with Kari. Spent the night with her and her wonderful family, what a fun bunch!

We headed out for Chinook the next day and spent all weekend playing with glass, PMC, clay, beads oh the fun!

I find living on an Island lonely and treasure time like this. We even had a small pit fire and made smores one night! I laughed every day, heck I think I laughed every hour of every day! I truly love each and every one of my wonderful (and patient!) friends!

Family and Friends

Being an artist isn’t easy. I often hear “You are so lucky to be an artist”. Or “How nice to be able to dabble in this”.

I am lucky, but luck didn’t get me here. The support of many family and friends helped me keep moving forward even when I wondered “Can I do this?”. I’d like to think talent comes into it too! Without the support of my husband I’m not have the wonderful studio space I work in. Without the support of friends I’d have nothing. Really in a crunch it’s our friends who keep us going. Who we sound ideas off, who tell us the truth when we ask opinions. Who support us when we fail. Friends can make or break you, mine make me!

I’d also like to think I don’t dabble. I’m a “GO FOR IT!” kinda girl. I dive in with both feet, sink or swim. I figure why do things ½ way?