Seasonal Offerings

The Made in Muskoka Christmas Show and Sale is fast approaching, and my management partner Miranda and I have been busy with organizing and promoting this event, held annually at Huntsville’s historic Sutherland Hall.  Check out our facebook page as well as our website with photos featuring incredible products you’ll find at the show, as well as a gift guide and info on all of our exhibitors.

I’ve also been finishing up my own newest work for the show.  Celestial events seem to be the theme this year for me, with Northern Lights, sunsets, and more of my “cosmic bowls”.  Every piece is different, and each of my customers will go home with a truly “one of a kind” work of glass art.  For those who like their art more “down to earth”, I have some floral free-standing art pieces featuring seasonal Muskoka wildflowers,  a limited supply of Christmas ornaments and pins, and my ever-popular colourful spoon rests!  See me at Made in Muskoka Christmas, Huntsville, December 11-13. 

Here’s a kiln load ready for slumping.  You may wonder why the pink background.  The “kiln wash” I use to keep the glass from sticking to the surface it’s fired on, has a dye in it, which burns out upon firing.  This way I can tell which molds and kiln shelves need to be re-coated.  There are many jobs that go into craft besides the creative work of design. Coating kiln shelves and molds is one of the more mundane tasks in my studio.

Out of This World!

Kelly Holinshead has curated an exhibition of work by local artists for the Canada Summit Centre, Huntsville, opening Thursday November 19, 2015.  The theme that artists were encouraged to interpret very broadly is "Out of This World".
I had been incubating an idea for over a year, and decided this was my motivation to get it out of my head and into glass.

Jacob's Ladder

“Jacob dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.”

Genesis 28:12

Imagine Jacob’s dream ladder resting on the Precambrian rock of Muskoka, linking heaven and earth.  Literally, "out of this world"...
I'm excited to see the other pieces in this exhibition, and I hope you have a chance to see it too.  The show can be viewed any time the Canada Summit Centre is open, until mid-February.  The opening reception is November 19 from 5-7pm.

Getting ready for Apsley Studio Tour!

Autumn is upon us, and once again I will be joining mp talented painter friend Molly Moldovan as her guest on the Apsley Studio Tour .  If you've never been before, you'll enjoy viewing Molly's large scale abstract paintings with my new glass work.

Visit us at Molly's studio (see Apsley Studio Tour link above) September 19 & 20, 2015.

Final firing

I’m finishing up a few last pieces for the Artists of the Limberlost tour, August 15 &16.  Here is a before and after firing comparison.  These pieces will become 5” round bowls and 6” square plates after grinding, then firing them again over moulds to shape them. 

The kiln is ready to fire!

The original compositions are developed by layering specially formulated clear and coloured glass in sheet, crushed and powdered form. The islands with trees are made from copper foil copper layered between glass.  Before firing the work often bears little resemblance to the final product, which is a particular challenge of the medium. You may notice a pink background under the unfired work.  This is the kiln wash that coats the clay shelves I fire on.  The pink dye burns out when fired.

12 hours later - fuse fire is complete.  Compare the differences.

It’s interesting to compare how the piece looks before and after firing.  Often I am surprised by the results myself!  You can see the finished bowls and plates if you visit my studio during Artists of the Limberlost Open Studio Weekend.  artistsofthelimberlost.ca