glass

Glassmaking: Morganica (Cynthia Morgan) demonstrates the technical and creative challenges of making art using glass through fused glass, coldworking, and experimentation. Primarily focused on the casting of glass, including pate de verre and reservoir casting, she also discusses less-used kinformed glass techniques such as tack-fusing, kilncarving, and pattern-bar development.

13 11, 2009

Artful in Seattle

2021-06-15T14:12:07-07:00

I'm not often asked to be the muscle for somebody so when I am, it's kinda neat. And what could be more fun than hauling glass in Seattle? My friend Becky owns a gallery in downtown Portland (Fireborne, you should visit), which carries everything from little glass bugs to jewelry to big honkin' sculpture. She wanted to make some exchanges in Seattle. Somebody had to schlep boxes and hold doors for her... was I interested?

Artful in Seattle2021-06-15T14:12:07-07:00
19 10, 2009

The pendant

2017-02-02T14:41:54-08:00

"Hi, Cynthia!" Andrew calls gaily, as he pounds up my driveway, "Can I come in? Wow, cool!" He gazes around my studio with wide eyes, taking in the art hung on the walls, the pendants pinned to the black velvet drape suspended from Oliver Wendell Kiln's gantry, and me, covered in plaster, making a mold. "Grandpa said you were doing some kind of art show and I wanted to see."

The pendant2017-02-02T14:41:54-08:00
4 10, 2009

Garage door magic

2015-11-07T22:47:34-08:00

"Can I come up and see what you're doing?" I looked out and my across-the-street neighbor, Kim was standing at the foot of the driveway. "Sure," I called, "Come on up." Most of the neighborhood seems to stop in once my garage doors go up and I start working; there's been a LOT of curiosity about what I do in a garage that's obviously no longer a garage. I love the sense of community, although there are times I feel as if I'm working in a goldfish bowl.

Garage door magic2015-11-07T22:47:34-08:00
24 09, 2009

Conversations with light

2020-11-26T12:54:44-08:00

Light and I have been in conversation as far back as I can remember. Most times, I just listen. Sometimes I get to talk back. Rarely--too rarely--we sing. And it's beginning to feel as though we'll sing, soon. When we sing, the light becomes a tangible thing, flowing like water, etching everything in its path, and I finally, blindingly, understand in my bones the definition of "illumination."

Conversations with light2020-11-26T12:54:44-08:00
18 09, 2009

Flutterbye

2017-10-07T17:53:35-07:00

"I just love the way you put faeries into all your work. That's what makes it soooo special," she gushed, "I luuuuuuuv faeries." She was looking at "I Dreamt the Jacobean Rose," a sample of tiles I'm pulling together for a prospective client and, frankly, it ain't of a faery. Especially NOT a fashionably flirty flower faery.

Flutterbye2017-10-07T17:53:35-07:00
6 09, 2009

Playing with glass blocks

2016-04-24T15:35:24-07:00

The reward for patiently, carefully weighing and mixing and packing frit into little plaster cells, then documenting the result? You get to play with blocks. Those of you who've been to the studio know my obsession with color tests. I once tried to build a full catalog of readily available tints but got discouraged at how long it was taking. So I sat down and figured out how many combinations I should test:

Playing with glass blocks2016-04-24T15:35:24-07:00
24 08, 2009

Skutt pulls the thorn (kiln update)

2014-09-08T21:09:54-07:00

It makes sense, but I'm having trouble believing it: My kiln failed because I left the garage door open. As you might have read, Skooby-my-Skutt bathtub kiln died right at the start of an important pate de verre firing last Saturday. Since I'd bought him a brand new controller not four months ago, I was pretty unhappy about it, and left a flurry of HELP messages with Skutt. "Hmmmm," said Perry-the-Skutt-kilngod when he called this first thing this morning, "I read your message(s) and I've been thinking about what might have gone wrong. Do you have a voltmeter?"

Skutt pulls the thorn (kiln update)2014-09-08T21:09:54-07:00
10 08, 2009

Ollie comes home at last

2023-10-25T14:24:51-07:00

The newly renovated garage studio is starting to look like a weird kiln store; Oliver Wendell Kiln finally joined his brothers in the garage this afternoon (with a great deal of assistance from his chauffeurs). It's taken nine months to get him here so I kinda feel like I gave birth to a giant space heater today.

Ollie comes home at last2023-10-25T14:24:51-07:00
8 08, 2009

The reason glassists have rules

2016-05-15T23:24:06-07:00

OK, glassists: What's the first thing we learn when we start working with glass? CAREFULLY LABEL EVERYTHING! Right? Sigh.

The reason glassists have rules2016-05-15T23:24:06-07:00
Copyright © 2024 Cynthia Morgan | All Rights Reserved
No part of this website may be copied, borrowed, or used in any way without the expressed, written permission of the author (me).

Or, to put it in plain English, folks: Ask first. This blog is first and foremost a personal journal, a chronicle of my work with a fairly difficult technical medium. I'm happy (thrilled, even) to share what I know, and I'll help you with your own journey all I can... as long as you respect my groundrules.

I don't sell ads, products or services, and unless disclosed I buy all products/services mentioned in this blog, with my own money. I don't claim to have invented processes, tools, new artforms, or techniques (unless I specifically say so). HOWEVER, my writing and art (and any errors of fact or fiction) are my very own, original work. Don't blame anyone but me if I get it wrong.
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