Unexpected Turn of Events

Some new fused flowers were added to our garden sculpture recently. 

It's the last day of July, and I'm reflecting on the events of the last two months. We slowed down considerably in the Studio towards the middle of the month of June, not because we wanted to, but because we had to. Health problems have caught up with the two of us this year, and ended up putting one of us in the Hospital. We were just wrapping up some big projects around the property in June, along with some glass orders heading to our Local Museum of Idaho, when Russ experienced uncomfortable symptoms related to his heart. Sure enough, when he checked in to the hospital, they told him he was having a heart attack right then and there. So, obviously all things came to a complete stop for a while. All our energies were poured into Russ recovering. The staff at the local hospital were excellent caretakers of my guy for a few days. I am so thankful for their professional care. We were very lucky to catch this issue before it caused more damage. 

It didn't take that Superman of mine long to recover from his health scare. As luck would have it, he got to the hospital in time and only one artery was in need of a stint. He is very fortunate to have come away from that harrowing experience a little more for the wiser, and is learning to take it a little easier these days. We are taking more time to enjoy the summer days, as the big projects are behind us, thankfully.  Relaxing in the mountains became a top priority in July.  Pictured below are some of the pieces that were created back in June before all things came to a stop. 

Glass enamels were the medium for this piece, before the fish is fired in the kiln.

This fused glass piece can be seen at the Museum of Idaho.

Another blown glass sculpture at the Museum.

Taking the time to enjoy a beautiful Idaho Sunset...it's medicine! 

We got away to the Tetons the month of July. Very therapeutic. 

Beautiful babbling Brook.

Enjoying the balloon races at the Tetons in July. 

The Aspen Grove we camped in, might just be inspiration for new Art in the future. 

We also were lucky enough to enjoy the company of all 4 of our sons and their families this month. We took advantage of that opportunity to update long overdue family pictures, and celebrate the birthdays of our 2 youngest granddaughters. What a treat!  

Celebrating 2 of our darling granddaughters

Now we are slowly getting back to "normal" and finishing up a few orders, along with another batch of wildlife heading to Yellowstone Park Stores again. They had such a busy year, they ordered from us twice! (Good thing Russ is on the mend now.)

And finally, yesterday we remembered a very special woman in both our lives. Russ' Mom passed away 4 years ago. She loved butterflies, and wouldn't you know, one landed for us just in time to help us remember the beauty of her soul. One thing life teaches you as you age, slow down and enjoy the simple things, they really seem to help when life gives you unexpected turns and struggles. If you look hard enough, you can see beauty through the pain. 

A beautiful Butterfly landed on our lilies, just in time to help us remember his loving Mom. 

 

Art from Ashes

Our dog Wilson lives on, with a piece created on glass using his ashes.

March 31st already, and I realized I have been getting behind on my monthly blogging duties. My mind has been a bit distracted the last couple of months, dealing with loss. Losing our very best companion and furry friend due to lung cancer this last January, has taken it's toll on my partner and I. Grief is a very hard and real emotion to deal with. Maybe because the love and loyalty of a dog is so pure. Actually, between our son's dogs and ours we've lost 4 furry friends within 12 months time. It's been especially hard for us with our dear Wilson, a Lab/Retriever. We have always been "Dog People", but when Wilson came into our lives, we knew there was something extra special about this good and noble soul. Now after just under 11 short years, we are adjusting to the new reality of life without him. Those who don't care for animals probably wouldn't understand. But for me, the grief is still raw and real. So I decided to blog about it to show what has come from the healing process so far, when dealing with a loss of this sort. The loss of the unconditional love of our furry friend, has turned into an art form of sorts. 
I thought I'd share what has been created in the Studio, as  memorial keepsakes for all the dogs. The picture above was created by screen printing some of Wilson's ashes onto a sheet of white glass. It was then fused in the kiln. And the picture below is a painting Russ created of our dog, using glass enamels. It was also fired in the kiln and will be added to the keepsakes we have, to remind us of the great dog he was. He will forever leave a lasting imprint on our hearts. And now with the glass art created, we can see daily reminders of his goodness and love he exuded. 

The essence of Wilson: Painted with glass enamels and fired on glass. 

The next picture below was also screen printed onto glass using a black enamel fine frit. It was created as a memorial to "The three". After carefully sifting the fine frit, it was then annealed in the kiln. Our son and his family's now-departed dogs, and our "grand puppies" -the late Bear and Tank, are pictured alongside Wilson. Back in the day they were the best of friends and frolicked in water and on land. Their memories are chock full of the happy adventures enjoyed in years gone by with all of us.

Wilson, Bear and Tank Memorial made of glass.

And we had to have a piece to remember dear Copper, the oldest of them all. He was also a good and furry friend that deserved the best we could give him. We adopted him from family members and he lived with us since 2011. He passed last July, at close to 15 years of age. I created some string art in his likeness. Russ fired some of Copper's ashes onto a red glass heart, pictured below. We spread the rest of his ashes behind our property, where he used to teach Wilson and Maggie how to hunt mice.

A memorial to our sweet dog Copper.

I suppose the hardest part of the last two months has been watching our last remaining dog Maggie, become so confused and lonely without her BFF. She is filled with a sadness I can feel. It has truly been gut wrenching to deal with. But with time, we move onward as best we can. It has really taught me to savor the little moments in time. Before you know it, they are forever a memory. Life has a way of teaching us all lessons if we are willing to learn. I am forever grateful for the time I have got to spend with all our furry friends through the years. It has taught me the great lessons of compassion and empathy.  Russ and I are so thankful they were in our lives and filled our homes with love and happy times. So fortunate to have had them, even though just a short blip on the time-clock that is our associated with our own lives. 

Wilson and Maggie's last walk at the Park before he passed. 

Maggie missing Wilson, sleeps on his old bed. 

So dear reader, if you have gotten this far in my blog, thank you for allowing me to share my grief. It is somewhat therapeutic to write about. Meanwhile life keeps moving on, waiting for no-one. We are trying to get back into the rhythm of working in our Studio. The art piece pictured below was selected to display in a National Juried Art Exhibit this month at one of our local galleries. Russ received an honorable mention for it. The name speaks to the viewer to contemplate what is important in each of our lives. Not everything in life is black and white. When we look deeper, life can take on new and colorful meaning, if we think outside the box. We can be held back by small thinking, or move forward to progress to a deeper and more fulfilling life on this planet, working in harmony with all the planet already provides. "The future is in your hands" is a powerful testament to that. 

"The Future is in Your Hands"

 

A New Way of Living

Coronavirus Covid-19

Last time I blogged the world was in a much different place, and life seemed somewhat "normal."  But since my last entry 2 months ago, Covid-19 has eerily crept into our communities, growing like an invisible wildfire, and has kept almost everyone on the planet a little preoccupied with the unknowns of this new virus. We are all trying our best to create a new sense of normalcy and well-being, but frankly I feel a little off-kilter.  I never would have thought in a million years, that life would be warped and twisted around in such a short time frame, as we all face this unsettling reality. New vocabulary has emerged as quickly as this pandemic that we find ourselves faced with. "Social Distancing, Coronavirus, Asymptomatic, Contact Tracing, Quarantine, Essential Workers," etc. have all become words we now hear with frequency. It's the new normal, and frankly, at times quite hard to deal with. 

But looking at the glass 1/2 full, I'd say we are fortunate to have our Studio connected to our place of residence, and there is no need to travel to our place of work.  Russ still has his day job, of which we are extremely grateful, even though it is quite tricky to learn and adapt from home. He is managing like he always does. We are not suffering anywhere near the amount others are during this strange and unusual time. We are certainly grateful for what we still have, and have stepped up to the plate to help others in need, when and where we can. After all, "We are all in this together." I feel it's our duty to help others less fortunate, especially in these troubling times. Helping others eases their burdens somewhat, and makes this trauma more bearable. Every little bit helps. 

Meanwhile, we have managed to complete many projects while observing the "Stay at Home" orders from our Governor. The Yellowstone glass orders will be wrapped up some time next week. And we got a new shipment of glass for more projects down the pipeline. The glass pictured below will most likely be turned into a set of Sushi plates.

New glass designs to play with in the kiln.

And the artistic piece below (Net Worth) is showing in a "Virtual" Juried National Art Show located in our City's downtown area, at the Willard Art Center. If restrictions are lifted later in May, we might just be able to see it and other great works of art before the show closes the end of May. 

"Net Worth"

And every now and then a customer needs a piece repaired. The piece below, coincides nicely with the Spring weather. It was repaired, reheated in the kiln, and returned to the customer right before the "Stay at Home" order was put in place. Whew!

"In the Garden"

We have had a little extra time on our hands during this lock down, and had already ordered the materials back in February, so we've built a High Tunnel over 1/2 of our garden to try and extend the short growing season in Idaho. (And keep the bunnies out of the garden goodies we grow.) It was designed and built by that "workhorse" husband of mine, with assistance from Yours Truly. 😊 We just finished planting all our seeds this week.

Our newly built high tunnel-greenhouse. 

Raised beds inside the high tunnel, ready to plant now.

And of course, everything needs to be cleaned and wiped down....so that includes a bath for the 3 little kittens. Not sure if it was really their thing, but they sure smell nice now, and their fur is shiny and soft to the touch. 

Ryder fresh out of the bath.

Annie is perturbed. 

Our cat Marshmellow is quite the character!

Lastly, here's a throwback picture of when our now full grown 2-year old chickens were just tiny chicks entering the new world. Well, the world has certainly changed since they were born. The picture is a reminder of Spring, new beginnings, and maybe a symbol of hope, hence the share. Trying to do our best over here to adjust to the new normal. Our thoughts are with those on the front lines fighting this unseen enemy. Nothing but admiration and mad respect for them. They prove our humanity is worth fighting for. A big thank you to all those giving us hope. We see you!

Signs of Spring, Glass Flowers

Spending some time with Family this March

A rainy day at Zion's National Park

 March was the month we were able to quickly slip away from our Studio for a few days, and enjoy family time at Zion National Park. (What a national treasure!) We also went down to Arizona to celebrate Russ' Dad's 82nd birthday. It was a quick trip down in a rental car, (Our cars are showing their age) but we appreciated the time away, even if only for a few rainy days. The Southwest's scenery did not disappoint.

We hiked in the rain, but still enjoyed the scenery.

One of many arches in Zion.

Lots of red rock to explore.

We saw a number of mountain goats.

Meanwhile, many different projects are going on this month, many Yellowstone wildlife glass works, alstrom drops for a Non-profit Organization, never-ending Etsy orders, and some new art that I'll highlight next month. In the meantime, this month I am highlighting some past glass pieces that were created in our Studio over the years. Well, I'll keep the blog short this month, I need to get behind the torch. Russ and I will be working nonstop the next little while to catch up on orders. Until next time, enjoy Spring...

Sculpting glass at the torch

Spring Florals for a wedding cake top

Slumped wine bottle with florals and dragonflies.

Blown glass Bass on Manzanita wood

Slumped and fused "Seasons" on wood base.

A Quick Tour

 

What's up with A Touch of Glass these days, you may ask? Well, this month I'm keeping the blog short and sweet, as we are preparing for a great adventure. (I'll explain more in July.)  We continue to stay busy with various custom projects requested by some local customers. Meanwhile, I've posted  a video of the latest works in our Studio. We hope this summer you have time to make some lasting memories. Until next time, enjoy!

April's Visit to the Glass Expo

At the beginning of the month we took a break from working in our Studio and headed South to Las Vegas, to the annual Glass Craft and Bead Expo. We wanted to highlight some stunning pieces we saw while there, created by other glass artists around the country. We enjoyed our short trip, and picked up some new glass colors, products and tools to work with in the coming year. We also enjoyed a visit with Russ' Dad in sunny Arizona while we were down that way. He took us on a tour around the Desert in his Razor for a day. It was a very enjoyable trip and ended too soon. Please enjoy the artistic pieces from other glass artists in this month's blog.

Glass Art at the Expo in Las Vegas

Intricate details

Dichroic Glass Masterpiece

Unique mix of Rock and Glass

Jellyfish Glass Lamp

Great depiction of  Earth, Air, Fire and Water

Fused Glass

Art work created with Glass Frits

And now we are back to work in the Studio, wrapping up a large blown glass wildlife order for Yellowstone Park Stores. Also, pictured below is one of the first attempts at Screen Printing  completed earlier this month. We are happy to report our client loved the outcome of the fused baseball with their favorite MLB team, the Houston Astros, winners of the 2017 World Series. Now that Spring is officially here, we hope you get a chance to get outside and enjoy your favorite outdoor activity. For us, there will definitely be some ball games involved. 

A piece created in our Studio, combing Fused Glass with Screen Printing

Our Year's End

Visiting our family's old cabin in the mountains of Idaho.

Time for the last blog entry of 2017, as we are coming up to the last hours of the year. Always a time for reflection of what was. After all the chaos of the busy season in our Studio, our family ended the year right with a family vacation in and around Yellowstone Park. We enjoyed spending the last week of the year with our 4 sons and their families. During that time, so many memories came flooding back as we rode our snowmobiles past Russ' parent's old cabin nestled up in the mountains. It has long since been sold to someone outside of the family, but the happy times we shared in this magical place years ago, will live on in our hearts and minds forever. Sweet memories of the joy Russ' Mom spread around to each of us when we came to visit. It's been a hard year, having lost the lovely Matriarch of our family this past July. I was reminded of her lovely spirit as we passed by the cabin. I only hope to become half the woman she was, full of humility and unconditional love. We were lucky to include this quick jaunt down Memory Lane during our short vacation.

Meanwhile, during the month of December, we have been lucky to witness our mighty Buck returning from the nearby mountains to our very own Backyard again. He must know he has found safe haven here. Not much gets done when he wonders onto the property, as our eyes are transfixed on this majestic animal.

Our Buck has returned to our neighborhood again this year.

But we managed to redirect our focus to the tasks at hand in the Studio this month, and some of the results are pictured below. I hand engraved some slumped bottles, along with firing some decals on them with festive holiday designs and sayings. They were on display during our annual Open House the first part of December.

Up-cycled bottles display festive holiday themes.

Russ created some new wall art shown below, using a combination of float and soft glass. The moon and grass reeds were cut out of float glass, then slumped in the kiln. The frog and dragonflies were cut and pieced together, along with some glass saw work, then slumped and fused in multiple kiln firings. 

Slumped and fused Pondscape

Customers that came to our Open House requested new projects,  many of them shown below. We really enjoy new challenges poised to us by customers, they keep the creative juices flowing.

Marvin the Martian was made out of soft COE 90 glass, with enamel paint accents.

Soft and hard glass were combined for these names.

Cinderella's glass slipper ornament

A special request was made for this Lilac-Breasted Roller

Another customer requested one of these popular fused scenes on Birch wood.

We make a new glass ornament for our grand kids every year.

Float glass was cut and slumped into a fun snowman mold, then I applied enamel paint and baked them on in the kiln for the cookie tray pictured below. 

Snowman-themed cookie tray

And during our Open House earlier this month Jack Frost was on full display all throughout our neighborhood. We couldn't resist snapping a few pictures of  the stunning results of Nature's works. 

Jack Frost worked his magic in our yard, earlier in December.

And so ends another year of our own productive works. As one year closes and another is just about to begin, we hope you will stay tuned for the latest in our ever-evolving world of glass: Handcrafted and blown in our Idaho Studio. We want to thank all our customers once again, for your support. Many of you are responsible for us achieving another banner year of sales and success. Wishing you and yours all the best for 2018.