"Fantasy Flowers" and "Four Seasons"

"Fantasy Flowers" is a small window. The flower centers are fused dichroic glass and the large glass tiles in the border are thick cast glass pieces made by Chicago Art Glass. The rest of the border is made up of vitreous glass tiles and transparent glass agate stones.

"Four Seasons" is one of my opaque pieces. The mosiac border contains beautiful mother of pearl tiles. The image was created with glass enamel paints, metallic powders, glass seed beads, and very small no-hole beads from China.

3 New Pieces - All different techniques!

This first piece titled "Bonnets, Brushes, and Sunflowers" is one of my glass on glass mosaics that is displayed like a stained glass window. The Bluebonnets are made with stained glass and vintage rhinestones. The Indian Paintbrushes are made with stained glass and vintage glass agate stones. The centers of the sunflowers are fused dichroic glass. There are polished christophase rocks at the base of the flower stems.

The next piece titled "Oak and Yuccas" is a combination of techniques. The border is mosaic glass tiles and glass beads. This portion of the piece has been grouted. The center image of the oak tree which is on clear glass has been painted using glass enamels and the leaves are made with glass seed beads. This image spills over on the mat also. After framing the piece an additional image of yucca plants has been added to the front surface using stained glass, glass enamels, and vintage rhinestones. Because light can come through the center of the piece it changes dramatically depending on the lighting conditions.

The last piece titled "Jade Tree" is made up of jade-like vintage leaves, stained glass and rhinestones. Although it is not apparent in the photo, the glass around the image is clear and has a mosaic border that is transparent. Light cannot pass through the image of the tree but comes through the border.

"Yellow Rose of Texas" and "Small Southwest Landscape"

Here are two more windows that will be shown at "Artisans" in Fredericksburg. The "Yellow Rose" has some vitreous glass tiles and large glass moonstones in it's border. The "Southwest Landscape" uses several different materials - vitreous glass tiles, vintage rhinestones, polished stones, unpolished stones, turquoise, and stained glass.

"Summer Hummer II" and "Small Bullseye"

Two new windows that will be shown at Artisans in Fredericksburg. "Summer Hummer II" has some interesting materials. The center of the flowers are fused dichroic glass and change colors with the angle they are viewed. The border is made up of rectangle polished mother of pearl tiles and vintage glass jewels colored to resemble coral.

This small "Bullseye" piece has cats eye centers in the bullseyes and there is also fracture/streamer glass in the image area rather than the clear glass I have used in the past.

"Bluebonnet Meadow" and "Snow White Trees"

Here are two new pieces that will be shown at Artisans. The Bluebonnet piece measures approx. 11" x 14". It has a mosaic border which includes vitreous glass tiles, albalone shell tile, and glass beads. The image area is multi layered and includes stained glass, glass enamels, and vintage rhinestones. On the vase I used the usual glass beads in both black and metallic silver and the leaves on the trees were created using vintage white moonstone glass leaves and crystal navette jewels.

The Evolution of a Commission Piece

I have never really taken photos of a piece during the process of being made and since I get questions about my methods - here are photos of the process. I begin with a vague pattern of the image area based on my discussion with the client. Once I begin to work on a piece sometimes the image changes. I really consider my process to be "painting" with glass. I use both new and vintage stained glass, vintage rhinestones and crystals, polished semi-precious stones, etc. All of the pieces of glass are attached to the background glass and once the image area is complete it is grouted. The final photo shows the completed piece although the sun was directly overhead and there is not a realistic depiction of the light coming through the glass.

"Peacock Polka Dots" and "Taking a Tumble" large vase

Here are a couple more vases that will be shown at "Artisans" in Fredericksburg.

"Cats Eye Polka Dots" Vase

This is similar to the polka dots vase except the glass pieces in the centers are made like cats eye marbles. Also the vase is unusual - it is a narrow vase within a larger vessel and they are permanently joined together. I have half filled the center vase with gold glass marbles to support the flowers but it could just be filled with water. It is 9" tall and 8" across.

"Yucca Meadow"

Here is a new multi layer piece. The border is made up of iridescent mosaic tiles and glass rhinestones which have been grouted and the center image is multiple layers of glass, glass enamels, glass rhinestones, glass beads, etc. It measures approx. 11"x14".

"Tiny Red Dots" and me

Here is a new larger version of the bullseye type pieces that I have done recently. You can see how large it is in the photo with me. There are tiny red dots at some of the intersections of the small black tiles. The border is gold and black tiles and the background is various clear types and textures of stianed glass.

"Checkers" and large "Yucca Vase"

Here are the last two vases for a while. Now it is on to a couple of commission windows and more windows for the new Fredericksburg Gallery. Artisans of Rocky Hill Gallery has moved to a new location in downtown Fredericksburg in one of the historic buildings. It is absolutely gorgeous and I feel very fortunate to show my work there. If you are ever in that area of Texas it is well worth the time!

New Vases

These are several of the new vases I have completed lately. The large square one (pictured by itself) is titled "4 Seasons in the Orchard" and each of the 4 sides depict the same apple tree in different seasons - winter, spring, summer, and fall.

"Primary Colors II" & "Summer Hummer"

Here are two new pieces that will be shown at Artisans of Rocky Hill Gallery in Fredericksburg, Texas. Primary Colors is created using all types of textured and iridized glass, vitreous glass tiles, vintage rhinestones, glass beads, and safety glass. It is very dimensional and has a lot of texture to it. Summer Hummer has a very colorful border made from glass tiles. The rest of the image is created using stained glass.