2018 Art Weeks is over for me, but it is still going on in other parts of Oxfordshire. I really enjoyed myself meeting the folk who came to see my glass, the lampwork demonstrations and for those who have either found a new home for some of my glass or who are going to make something for themselves. I saw a great bunch of folk, some local, some from far away and all ages. I’m so grateful that they took the time to come in.

The lampwork demonstrations went down very well, visitors being amazed to see glass melt in front of their eyes. I was able to cool the beads while folk waited (often drinking tea!) and then they took them home.

Lots of visitors were also interested in taking one of my taster courses. Some have already booked, which is very exciting. I met some visitors who are already on their crafting journey and I am helping some of them to progress on tailor made courses.

I am looking forward to Art Weeks 2019 – I’ve made lots of notes of things that went well or that I need to improve on but it won’t be the same unless I have a bundle of lovely visitors.

Meanwhile, my next craft fair is in Chipping Campden on 16th and 17th June so if you missed me last week come and see me in this lovely Cotswold town.

 

Roll up, roll up, come and see my beautiful glass and an amazing lampwork demonstration. I can make a glass bead in front of your very eyes, and, after a little cooling, you can take it away with you. You can choose your bead colour and have a choice of spots or swirls!

I am open from 11am to 6pm this weekend.

The demonstrations were very popular last weekend so don’t miss out on this bit of magic.

Meanwhile I have lots of gorgeous, brightly coloured glass to suit all colour schemes. If you like a piece but it’s not in your shades either come and make your own in one of my taster workshops or commission me to make it for you.

Looking forward to seeing you very soon

We had a great weekend for the first three days of Art Weeks.  The weather was fantastic – I don’t often have the excuse to sit in the garden for three days when it’s wall-to-wall blue sky. We had lots of visitors and most are fascinated by my demonstration of lampworking. Many visitors are also very interested in taking part in one of the many different workshops I run. Some have already booked but dates are available on request.

We are open again next Saturday and Sunday and I am offering more demonstrations of lampworking, an exhibition of the type of glass pieces that can be made on one of my workshops, an exhibition of my glass and an opportunity to buy pieces ranging from £5.00 to £55.00.

The workshops I offer are: mosaic stepping stones, mosaic dish, stained glass panel, fused glass bowl or coasters or decorative curve, basic lampwork beads. I am also happy to discuss particular requirements if there is a special request for something specific.

I have also been booked by a local WI to provide a mosaic coaster workshop for their members. More dates for other groups are available.

So, come along and have a cup of tea while you wander through the colourful world of glass.

 

 

 

I’m very excited now. Art Weeks is just around the corner and I’ve been working hard to get ready. The gazebo is up (having survived yesterday’s wind and rain) and filled with my glass goodies. We also have an exhibition in our conservatory which is looking very colourful. My studio is set up for me to demonstrate lampwork glass bead making along with an exhibition of the type of pieces that can be made by coming on one of my taster workshops. I aim to inspire. I’ve also been baking so there’s homemade shortbread, flapjack and lemon drizzle cake to enjoy.

I’d like to  thank my helpers in advance for making tea, welcoming visitors, keeping me company in quiet times and just being around.

Here’s to all the other 469 artists involved in the largest county wide art exhibition and to all who visit.

 

 

Just one week until Art Weeks and a tad of cleaning and clearing up to do.  However, I’ve just completed my last fused glass piece in preparation for the exhibition.

If you can come along either of the next two weekends you can enjoy a piece of cake and cup of tea while having a look at the sort of glass pieces I make, some small, some large, some useful, some just pretty and colourful. All are welcome.

 

I have been working hard at my torch recently and I have finally found a design I enjoy making and can make 5 beads the same size. Now, it’s not easy to make beads the same size so it was good to find out how to do that. Here are some sets that I have ready to sell to someone who can make them into jewellery.

I am working on some spotty sets now as well. more photos to come.

These beads will be on sale along with my fused glass at the Arts Weeks Exhibition that is in just two weeks’ time. I was very excited that a local paper published a photograph of my glass this week in an article about the exhibition.

The countdown has begun and I’m just hoping for enough dry weather to get the garden looking tidy before I open on the 5th.

 

Yes, it’s nearly May again and I’m getting really excited about exhibiting in this great county wide festival. I will have my studio open and my gazebo up full of lots of amazing glass pieces, some of which only get to see the light of day at this event.

Not only but also….I will be demonstrating the art of bead making using my new torch (aka flame thrower). The torch gets hot enough to melt glass rods from which I make beads of every colour. Come along and see for yourselves how this is done and get to take the bead I make in front you away with you (after 20 minutes cooling!). This really is magic!

Here are a few of the beads I have made. It’s a very addictive process and I love playing with colours, dots and swirls.

Here are a few of the creatures I have made – they are meant to be tortoises, dragons and few other things which need to be given a name.

I’ll give more sneak peaks of what will be on offer during my exhibition as we get nearer the time but, the most important thing is to come and have a look. There’s no obligation to buy but enjoy a cup of tea and a piece of cake to keep me company.

I will be open on 5th, 6th, 7th, 12th and 13th May from 11am to 6pm at Longridge, Spring Lane, Little Bourton, Banbury. OX17 1RB. Look out for the bunting to guide you to the house.

Looking forward to seeing you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Father Christmas, aka my husband Bernard, gave me a lampworking beginners kit for Christmas. He then helped me to set it all up in my lovely studio. If you don’t know what is involved….well listen in.

To make beads from glass you need a torch (like a flame thrower), in my case I have a Nortel Minor (irrelevant detail but hey ho). This needs to have a supply of propane gas – cylinder outside the studio, and an oxygen supply – oxygen concentrator inside the studio. This last is a refurbished medical oxygen machine which is no longer good enough for medical purposes. The result of this gassy mix is a flame that is about 1400C, hot enough to make glass rods go soft.

Then you need some metal mandrels to form your bead on, a few tools and then glass rods……this is where it gets yummy. My supplier sells them as individual colours or in mixed bundles. This is very exciting ‘cos you never know which colours are coming and I haven’t been doing it long enough to get discerning. Mine have all come from Italy so far but there are other options too.

So, I light the torch (carefully) and sit down and make beads. Sometimes they go right, and sometimes they go wrong. When I get good enough to make big beads (if I get that far) it can take hours to make just one….look on websites for some real beauties. After the bead is made they have to be cooled slowly and then annealed. This means that they are put in a kiln (I have one handy!) to be gently reheated and  cooled very slowly. This allows the glass to settle within it self and toughens it for making into jewellery. I choose to batch anneal my beads once a week. I will be demonstrating bead making during Art Weeks and you will get to take the bead away with you as a reminder.

As with other practical skills it takes time to get good at it. The experts reckon about 500 beads, well I’m on about 150 and some are OK. Ultimately I want to make glass animals and I have a good dragon and a turtle / tortoise so far. I will be going on a couple of courses to improve these techniques.

These are a few of my first ones. They are not perfectly formed as yet but I love trying different techniques.

And here are some creatures I mentioned. The one in the middle is just a creature….I like quirky as you may have gathered.

Meanwhile, back to have a go at some more – the design possibilities are endless, just need lots and lots of practice.

 

My next guests were a couple who have done lots of crafting over the years. Malcolm has been wood turning for many years and was looking for a different outlet for his skills. He has decided to stick with wood turning but enjoyed his day with glass and he and Valerie are coming back in warmer weather. That’s always a good sign that guests have enjoyed themselves!

They decided to make quirky bowls – these are randomly shaped pieces of glass that really come into their own after firing. The glass is cut using mosaic nippers and the coloured pieces are held together with overlapping clear glass. The whole piece is then flat fused and slumped. The design process is quite time consuming and Malcolm and Valerie chose two different colour schemes and slumping mould shapes for their designs. As ever, there is always an element of trial and error with any glass piece and Malcolm chose a mould or, more accurately, a drape shape, that I haven’t used myself, especially with the quirky idea. So, here we go.

 

Then, the finished products:

 

Then, the ultimate question… what do you do with the left over chippings that you’ve cut from your glass? Well, you make coasters of course….

So, a happy day spent making fantastically colourful pieces, both destined for the same room but I think that Malcolm’s will be my the window to catch those lovely colours with the sun shining through.

If you’d like to come and have a day making glass pieces for yourself or to give as a gift do get in touch. So far, two sets of my guests have come back for a second time so they have obviously enjoyed themselves.

Just a quick post to say that I have places in two big exhibitions this year, as well as lots of Craft Fairs (more about those another day – none before May).

  

The exhibitions are Oxfordshire Art Weeks and Art in the Park at Leamington Spa.

I am opening my studio for Art Weeks on the first two weekends of May – 5th, 6th, 7th, 12th, 13th, 11am – 6pm and am site 167.  See https://www.artweeks.org/ for more details.

Art in the Park is in Jephson Gardens, Royal Leamington Spa on 4th and 5th August, 10am – 6pm. See http://www.artinpark.co.uk/ for details of that.

I am really looking forward to both of these events, showcasing my latest glass creations which I am working on at the moment.