April Showers make for Long Hours....

We've had every kind of moisture you can think of this month. April showers are an understatement. Currently, it continues to snow up here. The good thing about grey skies outside, is we tend to focus better on the tasks at hand in the Studio.....

A few of many blown glass Yellowstone Wildlife sculptures heading to Yellowstone Park Stores

So quick! Hurry and get in a blog before the month is over! Why does it always go so fast? I suppose because we always have something going on in the Studio with a tight deadline these days. This month seemed especially busy. The order that has taken precedence this April is the Yellowstone order. We only have a few more weeks before all the wildlife sculptures need to hit their store shelves for the summer tourist season.  We are anxiously anticipating how well they will sell. It's our first real experience doing a wholesale order for a national park. We hope it relays to all parties as a positive outcome, and continues as a yearly contract for us. We think it's a nice fit, to partner up with them as we are always inspired to create glass Yellowstone wildlife when we visit the Park. Meanwhile, working as fast as possible, we've finished the Moose and Elk, and have moved on to the Bears. Russ is sculpting one in the pictures below.

Sculpting a Grizzly Bear in the Lamp Work Flames

Toasting his "buns"

 Russ also found the time for another project this month, and sculpted the horse below for a client .

Horse Sculpture blown for a client

We were fortunate to travel to the Glass Expo a while back, and enjoyed viewing many stunning works of glass art at the show. Some of our favorites are pictured below. We also purchased a new kiln and glass saw, and have many ideas brewing for future projects. Stay tuned.

Awe-Inspiring Fused work at the Glass Expo

Great idea for float glass

More Art work at the Glass Expo

A beautiful mosaic piece

Our favorite piece at the Expo

An unusual mixture of wood and glass

Another stunning work of glass art

I would like to dabble more in sand carving,  akin to this beautiful piece we saw at the show.

We were fortunate to combine our trip down to the Glass Expo, with a wonderful 80th birthday celebration for Russ' parents. It was a very special weekend to start off the month of April, celebrating the lives of  2 very special people.... A memory that we will cherish for years to come. 

Our parents celebrating their 80th birthdays together