Elegant Glass Bath Accents

Going beyond your comfort level in trying new techniques and applications is always exciting.  It started with the creation of a practical craft show item, fused coasters, which I introduced at the holiday craft shows and NJ galleries in November and December.

Bill and I had been wanting a major master bath makeover. I had a vision of coming home from a day of skiing and soaking in a warm bubbly bath. We bought an Ultra Bain air bubble tub with computerized controls and started gutting the room.

 Then I thought why not add glass tiles to combine with ceramic tiles and Danby, Vermont quarried Eureka Marble?! There were a lot of trials and experiments before getting it right. That's how you learn.
Below are the tiles fired and ready for installation in both the shower area and the bath.

Thanks to careful planning and the fine craftsmanship of our talented installer, it all came together.

The next details were the cabinet hardware. This was done with molds into which I piled smashed glass called "frit". A space was created to insert the hardware. It was kiln fired to 1465 degrees F and slowly cooled. Then a Dremel tool was used to fine tune the opening before cementing the hardware into the glass. I held my breath hoping the installation into the cabinet would go as planned. It did.

                                      

And then, finally, I couldn't stand seeing a cardboard tissue box on top of the lovely granite countertop, so a few extra test pieces became the inspiration for this box cover.

Vermont Summer Life

So...glass or gardening? Kayaking or copper foiling? The temperatures are perfect and the outdoors seduces me.  New wild flowers appear and my vegetable garden needs constant nurturing. The chickens are loyal companions as we try to agree on where they can and cannot go. Chicken wire fences are appearing everywhere - prettier than dirt bath pits! Glass crafting often becomes a night time activity as I get into my zone, without any disturbances.

This recently completed custom piece depicts early fall on Lake Bomoseen, our local water playground, with a big view of some of the Taconic Mountains, particularly Bird Mountain. I used glass painting in the water, some of the tree and the sailboat bottom. The tree is fused.  

My experience is that when riding on a boat of any kind, with or without a motor, you are swept away to a place in the mind that feels like vacation.  That is why we came here!

Stained Glass Design from Children's Art

It was my pleasure to create a panel for the Mettawee Community School, West Pawlet, Vermont  and to honor the founding principal, Nancy Marks.

The entire project was done from start to finish through e-mail communication. Design proposals were edited and sent for approval without the customer coming to my studio until it was finished.







This is 5th grader Lexa's full size watercolor painting:

For further reference I was given a photograph of Haystack Mountain as seen from the school:

This is the design I proposal I sent by e-mail. :

The writing and some details were painted with vitreous glass and permanently kiln fired before assembly.

Above is the finished stained glass window.