Wow, Sunday was amazing! I was so tired when I got home that I had a cheese sandwich, told Mike and the kids what I'd done, reconnected my torch and fell asleep at 8:30. LOL No pix right now because my figures stayed overnight to anneal. I'll pick 'em up this evening and post pix tomorrow.
We started off learning to do two-legged figures and legs and arms with more definition. I goofed on my first one, got her first lower leg going the wrong direction. My second one was contorted with her torso 90 degrees from her legs. Bill said she was "lively". LOL We worked a lot on figures, learning different ways to make them more real looking. Bill showed us how to make "clothes" with just a few simple suggestive lines of glass here and there. It was amazing seeing anonymous lumps of glass take on life and character just like that.
My third figure was funny in an aggravating way. I'd done the torso and legs pretty well and was working on her arms when Bill came around and I asked for some suggestions (I wanted to do a hula dancer complete with green grass/glass skirt). He told me how to turn her body so her hips were out. I went back to reheat and POP!!!! her butt cheek blew off. Nothing more tragic than a half-assed hula dancer, huh? The worst part was, in fixing her butt, one of her legs cracked, so it became a helluva juggling act getting her back together. But(t) I did it (Bill said that's just another learning experience--repairs 101) and can't wait to see her out of the kiln!
We also learned how to cut very thin sheets from glass tubing to use as "draped" fabric. What a cool idea! He'd just learned it from someone else a few weeks before. Wow!
Then we learned how to blow a hollow figure (Bill made a fish) from color-wrapped boro tubing. I can't wait to play more with this!!! Bill is going to do another class in a few months on working with colored boro....that will be great! We all said we should just be signed up NOW to continue on.
The people I met in the class were terrific and the whole atmosphere was fun. It was a lively two days and I'm really glad to have finally gotten a workshop again. Just what I needed!!!!
-- KarenK Desert Dreamer Designs