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is a company of Northwest artists committed to a mission of creating glass art that warms the heart and stirs the imagination. Our vision is based in the shared belief that art can have a transforming effect on our lives. A portion of all proceeds is given to charity, with the hope that each artistic expression will enrich our community and those in need.
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R Blog #4
No Don Quixote or Jiminy Cricket
There was no grand crescendo of “To Dream The Impossible Dream”, or even a few strains of “When You Wish Upon A Star’”. We didn’t even believe enough to dream or wish. A hot shop was not in our future in 2001 when I took my week-end glass blowing class at Firehouse 12. All I knew then was that it was the most incredible experience I had ever had with an art medium. I paid for a class with Andrew. We both were mesmerized! But even with this new passion, we never dared to imagine we could have our own hot shop some day.
Suddenly we could not go to the coast without visiting a hot shop and spending an hour watching. My various trips began to include at least one hot shop stop for watching and buying. Its true passion when you begin to plan your trips based on whether the country is noted for glass blowing.
In 2004 we discovered fusing. It wasn’t hot glass, but it was close. The 3 of us began down the path of becoming glass artists. One day while we were doing some fused pieces, Andrew began to play with a piece of stringer glass (looks like angel hair pasta) and a match. He liked what happened to the glass, so he upped the heat by using a little propane torch I had. Now he was able to make teardrops of glass. He had never wanted to do beadwork (torchwork), but now realized that is was like doing glassblowing in miniature.
Andrew bought a torch, got propane and oxygen tanks, and all the necessary tools and became a beadmaker. He set up his torch on a table on the back deck. Then…PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS AT HOME!!!...he talked Robbin into letting him use their dining table “in the dining room” for his torchwork. Reasons not to do this:
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1. You need an area that is well ventilated for the propane and oxygen mixture.
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2. You need to have a VERY UNDERSTANDING, PATIENT, LOVING wife.
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3. You will take over the entire dining room with you tools and glass.
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4. You may need to replace your dining room floor when the hot glass melts through it.
Perhaps this would be a good time to tell you that it is also not the best idea to sit in such a way that hot glass popping from the torch will land in your belly button. YES-THIS DOES HURT!!!! A LOT!!!!! Especially when your first inclination is to suck in- NOT a good idea!!!
We all continued to be content with fusing and beadmaking for some time. Robbin had now taken over their family room with her jewelry and I had turned my garage into a fusing studio. From time-to-time we do talk about maybe, some day, we would love to have a hot shop. It is only wishful talking-we have no plans.
What made us begin to imagine actually having our own hot shop? Well, sometimes you just don't know the power of daring to dream. We were about to find out.
Blog #1 How It All Began
Blog #2 Learning As We Go
Blog #3 You Know You Are In Trouble When