STILL IN ELF MODE!

Greetings readers! I am still a busy stained glass elf...getting out those Christmas glass orders! No Worries. They will all reach you on time thanks to Santa's helpers. I'd love photos of the items in their new homes to share with this great group of blog readers! 

Peace Be Yours through the coming weeks! 

With much gratitude, Laurie B.

HELLO.....NEW JERSEY.

New Jersey here I come! Lift up your art, Laurie B.

SOLDERING WITH WILMA

 

Hello my friends! Oh how the time flies during the Autumn months. It always amazes me. Here is my latest update on Adam and Eve. This panel is read to be soldered and I will be starting that process in the next couple of days. As a side note, I've decided to dress as Wilma Flintstone for All Hallow's Eve. WHY???? I found a kickin dress at Goodwill for under $5.00! LOL So, in these hard economic times, hey, whatever works. Right? LIFT UP YOUR ART! Laurie B.

A THE BEAT GOES ON "BADA-BUMP"

Good Morning friends! Ah, as my current client said, "Oh Laurie, haven't you learned by now that life always gets in the way of living!" Wiser words were never spoken! A big shout out thank you to Sharon, the most patient client I have had to-date! Here are photos of the current Adam N Eve panel, ready for foiling. Being in "transition" has been a real challenge (time management!) but a welcome one. Progress is being made so incredibly fast on my stained glass studio! I am truly "living the dream"! Autumn is upon us here in Northern Illinois. Firewood was delivered yesterday and is stacked snugly in the garage. The leaves are falling fast and furious and today is a MOST precious "Indian Summer" day. I am relishing every moment of it. Lovely warmth and sunshine, leaves rustling, pine trees waving hello to the sun, and little chipmunks running around with nut-stuffed cheeks! It just doesn't get any better than this in my book! I hope wherever you are you are able to connect with nature on some level today. Sending out warm Autumn wishes! LIFT UP YOUR ART, Laurie B.

TEMPORARY DIGS

Good Morning Friends,
Here's hoping you have sunshine where ever you are today. It's gloomy here in Northern Illinois! I wanted to share a couple of photos of where I've been keeping myself recently. I'm making great progress on "Adam And Eve" and hope to have this piece foiled and ready for soldering by the middle of the week. My temporary digs are working out just fine and I am thankful. Lift up YOUR art! Laurie B.

THOUGHTS

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." -Anais Nin

Latest Commission on it's way to New Jersey!

The panel was very fun and challenging to create! Thanks Shar! I look forward to working with you again very soon. Here's hoping this charmer makes it to your door safely. With gratitude, Laurie B.

Time to solder away!

A Black And White Issue

I am starting on a new commission for a client from New Jersey. She saw my original work on Etsy, a panel that is 8 x 12 entitled A Black And White Issue. She requested the same glass, baroque in black and white, but asked that I create the panel with dimensions of 24 x 18. Many times I can take a pattern from a pattern book and resize it via the computer, however, in this case the geometrics of the pattern would not resize due to aspect ratio issues. I decided to completely hand draw the pattern. It is similar to the original in the pattern book but did take some extra work. From there, I had to make a few copies and I have since cut the pattern, laid it on the glass and have 1/2 of the pattern cut and ready to grind. I will be loading pictures as soon as my computer stops acting up but for now, I wanted to let you know what MAGIC is happening at The Looking Glass. Please stop back in in the next day or two and check out the photos with more detailed descriptions of the stained glass process. With Gratitude, Laurie B.

STAINED GLASS-PAINTED GLASS-GLASS ART

In this day and age the term "stained glass" is widely used to refer to both colored glass and painted glass. In truth, the term stained glass refers to only the types of glass one sees in churches such as the detailed figures and landscapes. These are painted on colored and/or plain glass and decorated and embellished by the artists. The Tiffany style of stained glass employs colored glass pieces which are then arranged in a pattern and assembled either by the copper foil method or leaded method. This art form is called glass art. The magical windows in many churchs across the world has a breathtaking and very esoteric effect on many. The ability artists had/have to paint the golden locks of an angel or the details of a piece of fruit are astounding. We can only guess at where the origins of glass art started. Some speculate that it started as far back as Egypt. There are other locations such as Rome, Greece and Byzantium, Pompeii and Herculaneum that have evidence of the use of glass art also. Regardless of where this art form started, we are blessed not to have lost this art form within the hussle and bussle of this modern world. It is a time consuming art form that requires patience, skill, and lots of practice. It is, however, well worth the effort for not only the artist who creates, but the owners of the art for years to come.