Once again, I disappeared.
Let’s sum up.
Happy New Year!
I had to get a new kiln for beads recently, my old Paragon now has two issues, and frankly, my customer service experience with Paragon last time was so crappy, I just didn’t have it in me to fight through what I needed to fix this second issue. So the Caldera is sitting under the workbench. I will have it fixed some day, maybe later this year, and then either sell it, keep it for backup, or use it as a vitrigraph here and there.
To replace it, I bought a new kiln from my buddy Mike out on the Oregon coast. He makes a fantastic product, has 3 years warranty, and is easy to get to, and I’d rather buy from a local, small biz. I wasn’t sure this kiln would fit in my studio, but it actually fits better than the Caldera. It frees up some work space right in front of the torch. I love it. It can hold even more beads, which is not something I need now, with the limited time I have to torch with a toddler around, but once Derek starts preschool next fall, and I get an extra 6-8 hours per week to torch…it is going to come in handy.
What else….
My work was in a museum through the month of December and part of January, at the Museum of Contemporary Craft in Portland. It was a great experience, and I spent a Saturday there demo-ing how to make glass beads, something I always enjoy doing. After that, all the work that was in the museum apparently moved to the Mayor’s office, I have not gone down to check if my beads made it in that display…they are so small compared to some of the other work in the gallery that my beads were with by other artists.
I also got some beads in a book! My first time in a book! This book is called Art Glass Today and will be out in the fall of 2o10. There will be several of my beads in it, very fun!
I am starting to ramp up for the annual Glass Guild show at the Oregon Convention Center, the last weekend in April/first weekend of May. I need to make a few things and try to get some older work sold before that show, to free up space for the new stuff. I think I will have a spring cleaning sale on etsy in the next few weeks, when I find time to list it all.
I just ordered a lot of silver wire for my new work, and a new tool.
Spring is arriving in the Portland area…I love it when the plum and cherry trees bloom, and this past week that has just begun. A little more warmth and I will be a very happy human being.
Here is a pick from the display at the museum. More soon!
