Winter Light

Days are finally lengthening. With the sun low on the horizon at this time of year, you may find it coming in your windows a little too intensely, particularly if you have south-facing windows.

If you're contemplating your light-control options, consider stained or fusion glass.  With the right choices you'll be able to diffuse the light without cutting off the world outside.

A glass window hanging, strategically placed, can reduce glare while still letting you see the scenery.

 

If privacy is also a criteria, we can selectively place the design so outsiders can't see what you are doing. Below is a sandblasted panel we used with conventional stained glass in a door.

 

Next is a window that combines stained and fusion glass techniques.  For more window designs go to www.turtlecreekart glass.ca.

 

 

Art Array at Arta Gallery

ART ARRAY at ARTA GALLERY
I'm pleased to be a member of the Art Array group that currently has a show at ARTA GALLERY in the Distillery District of Toronto.  Originating on the southern shore of Georgian Bay, Art Array is a collective of eight fine artists. From the wealth of talent in the region, the group emerged as a singularly top-quality entity.  Our group shows have been in various galleries in Collingwood and Toronto.

The current show at ARTA GALLERY runs from October 1-15, 2012

 

Sandblasting & Sandcarving

After a few equipment hitches, we finally have our sandblasting equipment up and running at TurtleCreek Art Glass.

Sandblasting glass is a three-step process. First the glass is completely covered with a protective mask. Then the mask is cut away to create a design in reverse. The blasting takes place within a cabinet that looks very much like an infant incubator. The surface of the glass is blasted, not with sand, but with aluminum oxide or silicone carbide.
The resulting design is a rough, opaque surface that contrasts with the smooth surface of the glass.
Sandblasting can be done on any glass surface from glasses and bottles to windows.
On windows, the judicious choice and placement of a design can give you privacy in one part of your window and a clear view in the other. TurtleCreek Art Glass now has the necessary equipment for sandblasting windows glass up to 24” wide. If your window is bigger we can combine sandblasting with conventional stained glass.

Sandcarving involves blasting deeper into the glass, even to the point of cutting holes. The carving is usually done in several steps so that the design is various depths. We have been making some new sculptural pieces with this technique.

STUDIO TOUR

Friday, June 1st to Sunday, June 3rd my studio will be participating in the Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts Studio Tour. I'm pleased to have as my guests, ceramic sculptor Frith Bail and painter Louis M. Davies. Both are very talented local artists who have been showing in Toronto for years.
New in my studio this year is Sand Carving. I've just started this exciting venture and will be happy to share the process with you.

Decorating Solutions with Stained or Fusion Glass

Clients of TurtleCreek Art Glass bring us some interesting decorating challenges. Here are some of the solutions we've developed using stained or fusion glass.

PRIVACY for a home office Located just off the front hall, the windows in this office are the main source of daylight. So to create privacy in the office, without blocking the sun, we created these fusion glass French doors.

A CAT passage

In the combo fusion/stained glass door in the middle picture,, the bottom centre panel is an open hole so the feline resident in this home can easily get from the family room to her litter box in the laundry-room.

FIREPLACE feature

On a winter night, looking up from a roaring fire at this stained glass hanging over the mantel, these clients fondly remember summer sails.

PUNCH in a narrow space

The sculptural 3D hanging below maximizes a small decorating opportunity.

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Stained Glass OR Fusion Glass

When planning a decorative glass window for your home you have the choice of techniques -- stained glass, fusion glass, or a mixture of the two.  Which is best for a particular location depends upon many factors. 

BUT FIRST, I'll clarify the techniques:  In a stained glass window (maples leaves below) the pieces of glass are held together with solder applied to copper foil or by lead channels.  Fusion glass is made by layering small pieces of glass on a large sheet of clear glass and fusing it all together in a kiln.  You don't see any lead lines (the birch trees).

1. Will you be viewing this window from one or both sides?  In a front door, where you'll probably want your window to look great from both sides, stained glass is an obvious choice.  Most fusion glass designs have a front and back side, with more intense colour and detail on the front side.  For a bathroom or clerestory window, one-side viewing is probably the norm.

THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS.  A two-sided relief pattern was chosen for this door so it can be enjoyed equally from both sides.

2. Are there complex shapes in your design?  With stained glass you need to add a lead line at each right angle.  The designs in this French door would look very busy if done in stained glass.  Also, by using fusion glass I was able to add detail to the  zebra.

3. What are your budget limitations?  Generally, making fusion glass windows is less labour intensive, so they can cost less.  However I do have to factor in the electrical costs in operating the kiln.

4. What about weight and strength?  Fusion glass is usually 6 mm thick, while stained glass tends to be 3 mm.  The thick fusion glass is heavier, but less likely to be broken. Your location will be a factor in deciding which attributes are pros and which are cons.In my next blog I'll talk about some interesting options achieved by combining both stained and fusion glass.  In the meantime, take a look at some of the windows at http://www.turtlecreekglass.ca/.

New Gallery and New Show

I'm pleased that The Edge Gallery at 32 Dunlop St. W. in Barrie is now carrying some of my sculptural pieces, including Red Intertwined.  If you have a chance to drop in, please say hello to Gallery owner Kate Ramos and tell her you read about her gallery on my blog.





Red Intertwined



Last Run





Magnolia Snow Cones



Glass Under Glass opened today at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington. This is the sixth annual show featuring glass art in the Mediterranean Garden. With all the wonderful natural light and the contrast between glass and plants this makes a great way to spend a cold afternoon. The show will run until February 25th.   Many of my entries this year focus on winter sports and winter landscapes.  I hope you have a chance to see the show.

Glass Sculptures Outdoors

Surprisingly, glass can be an ideal medium for decorating your home on the outside. Bright colours, illuminated by sunlight, provide a focus of contrast to more neutral siding -- a particularly welcoming sight in northern climates where flowers bloom for only 3 or 4 months. Well-tempered glass thrives in all temperatures, even the harsh winters we have in Collingwood. In one of the pictures below the glass maple leaves fastened to a garage wall had just been hit by flying snow, reminding me of an unexpected November storm. The other sculpture has adorned a home in Collingwood for several years now. The garden sculpture is even older and although it gets buried each winter under a snow drift it is a welcome sight on the first thaw. To see more fusion glass sculptures go to http://www.turtlecreekglass.ca/.