'Tis the Season

Slumped and Fused Art

Lately I've got a bad habit of waiting 'til the last possible moment to write my monthly blog, through no fault of my own. Hectic doesn't begin to accurately describe what this month has been like for us in the Studio. First we had to prepare new art pieces to participate in a local art show, then create custom commissions for clients, then stock and restock all our ornaments that we are shipping through our Etsy storefront. Not to mention create custom blown ball ornaments for clients both local and across the country. I'm getting that stress knot in my stomach that tends to inflame around this time of the year. I suppose I need to focus on the end results, which is, that we are constantly validated these days both in the art world, and our home grown business. Makes it easier to lose sleep over I suppose. 

Our large Ornament rack holds lots of unique ornaments.

Set up for a local art show in November

We created a fun fused coaster set out of different hues and shades of red.

Red glass fused coasters

Bigger and more unique wildlife pieces were sculpted in the lamp working flames, like the pieces shown below.

Blown glass Owl on Manzanita Burlwood

A crystal clear trout making a glass splash out of the water

Blown glass Moose in Cattails

Sandblasted Mountain Goat on a glass rock ledge

While our Wildlife scenes are always popular, Russ went outside his comfort zone with soft glass, and spent hours and hours creating the Aspen scene below. A nice, thick piece was created by added layer after layer of various colors. The real Aspen log set it off perfectly.  Definitely one of the more intense pieces created to date.

Slumped and Fused Aspen Art Work

A real piece of Aspen bark was also used to help create a mold for the unique slumped and fused piece below. A light adds a soft touch to it.

Another unique glass Aspen piece

Russ was really pushed to his creative limits on the piece below. A client wanted a type of Salvidor Dali inspired piece of art work. This piece really moved me, almost to tears, as he described his inspiration behind it. Hours and hours of intense kiln time and flame working time were spent on it. Both ourselves and our client were extremely pleased with the outcome. 

This piece has many interpretations and levels to it. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Another couple of unique projects are wrapping up this month, as two different clients wanted us to create their logos on the inside of their custom blown balls. Inserting the logo inside the ornament gives it a kind of floating-in-air impression. Lots of time and effort is being spent to get it to look just right. Hoping they are both happy with the outcome. 

Custom made blown ball ornaments

And of course, what would this time of year be like without our trusty source of income, affordable Christmas ornaments. These happy snowmen are just about to be fired in the kiln.

Slumped and Fused Glass Snowman Ornaments

Now if you will excuse me, I've got to rush to the Post Office to ship yet another car load of glass goodies. I need 4 sets of hands to get it all done!

Many packages waiting to be shipped out all across the country.

Black Friday

The bombardment of commercialism is here once again as Black Friday has arrived. And while we are also in the business of selling our art work to the Public, we choose to go about this "black" day differently. We settle in the Studio and light up the torches and kilns, while avoiding the crowds and madness that ensues with this hyped up event at the big box stores. You know, it just doesn't do it for us, fighting the crowds to save a buck or two. Never understood the hype, and never want to. Instead, we prefer intimate settings for the holidays. Such as the annual tradition we have of opening our Studio to the Public the first weekend in December. Customers can come and browse around, while watching us at work behind the torches, and enjoy some holiday treats and hot cider and cocoa. It just seems to go with the flow and the Spirit of the Season, and we like to keep it that way.

We wanted to give an update of our latest pieces we've created, and continue to create, as sort of a preview of what you'll find in our Studio next weekend. Below are some samples for your viewing pleasure.

This glass floral wall art has a lot of movement to it

We came up with the above piece for our third son's home, as a show of appreciation for helping us with our website and graphic design work. The matching decorative plate below was fused and slumped to match this unique glass wall art.

A matching fused decorative plate to match the wall art

Below are a couple of new colorful slumped and fused plates we've been working on. We're excited about these new colors. 

A colorful gradient slumped and fused creation

A flowing plate has lots of layers to it

And we still have a lot to get done in time for the Open House next weekend, but we enjoy the thought of thinking of our studio as kind of a Santa's workshop. Busy little elves are working hard at this moment, to make sure someone on your Christmas list has a unique gift or piece of art work that will make their holiday all the more special. Come by and see us next weekend if you have the time.

Working on another piece of original wall art

Blown glass preparations or our Open House

Fused, engraved and sandblasted bottles need some finishing touches before our Open House

A New View

The January view from our glass studio signals a time of new and promising beginnings. (No photoshop here, just the real deal of one of many spectacular Idaho sunsets.) January has turned out to be quite a roller coaster of  new projects and events happening in our professional and personal lives. As we come to the end of the first month of 2014, we are ready to face the challenges. Priority will be given to a new web presence. Stay tuned next month as we display the latest  artistic glass pieces on our  updated website. Currently it's unavailable as it's under construction. Bear with us, we're working on it.

In the meantime, take a look at some of the projects we have either already created, or are in the process of making. The first slumped and fused piece was created as a birthday gift for a VIP person in our family. It represents a moment in time that we treasured, on a weekend getaway with family members last summer. For us, the piece takes on a whole new meaning,  as our sons continue to leave the Rocky Mountains and head for greener pastures. It is a mixture of emotions as we are happy yet sad saying farewell to them. Happy for their job promotions and new beginnings. Sad to see them move to a far away State. Needless to say it has been a whirlwind start to the year, with news of another move once again. This time it's our youngest son. This mother of four is learning to embrace the change, and looks forward to seeing many new parts of the country, while visiting my grown children and their families. Trying to stay positive and look on the bright side of things.

Slumped and fused glass gift titled "Swan Valley Pond"

The other pieces below are either commissions or requests for non profit organizations and local businesses and customers, all to be completed in the first month of  this year. Looking ahead, don't forget that Valentine's day is coming up. Keep in mind that our glass rosebuds are a nice alternative to fresh flowers, and you still have time to place an order by phone even though our website is under construction.

We're creating 500 teardrops for a Non-profit Organization

Glass rocks sculpted for a company called "Etched in Stone"

Colorful Glass Chili Peppers created for a customer

Finished Blown glass Chili Ristra

Commissioned Slumped and fused glass vase

Don't forget to sweep your Valentine off their feet this February with some of our Hand sculpted glass roses.

Blown glass Rosebuds in a variety of vivid colors

Summer in Yellowstone

A large scale version of Sculpted Glass Trout, a Yellowstone inspiration.

It's the height of Summer and we just finished doing one of our outdoor artisan shows in Idaho. We were ecstatic when our largest piece of artwork sold to a very enthusiastic customer on the first day. She will be traveling with the above piece all the way to Minnesota to surprise her husband with this unique work of art. He is an avid Fly fisherman, so it will be a perfect fit for him. It really brings us great joy as artists to know our inspirations connect with others in an artistic sense, and become permanent installations to an appreciative home.

We are so fortunate to live just a short drive away from Yellowstone Park, where much of our artistic inspirations come from. Our glass creations capture much of the wildlife that inhabit Yellowstone. Every year tourists from all over the world flock to this magnificent natural wonder that is Yellowstone. They travel there hoping to catch a glimpse of some of the beautiful creatures, along with natural wonders that are in and around this vast park, and also one of our Nation's greatest assets.

Below are some smaller models of Yellowstone wildlife we create in our studio. We can create a smaller animal, or do commissioned pieces on a much larger scale. The above school of trout is an example of that. Scroll through the pictures and see if something captures your eye. Or contact us to commission a piece of  the Yellowstone ecosystem just for you.

Etched Mountain Goat

Sculpted Fox

Deer with White Antlers

Big Horn Sheep

Bull Moose

Bugling Glass Elk

Colored Glass Trout

Glass Buffalo

We can do a wide variety of glass sculptures. Contact us for your own unique piece.