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.

27 02, 2009

Oliver Wendell Kiln, world traveler

2020-11-26T12:51:38-08:00

When embarking on a career as an artist, it's important to have a well-traveled kiln. And so Oliver Wendell, my new kiln, appears to be taking the long way home.

Oliver Wendell Kiln, world traveler2020-11-26T12:51:38-08:00
23 02, 2009

Smooth-on Trowelable Plasti-Paste

2016-05-16T14:17:51-07:00

Normally, I craft my mother molds out of plain old plaster of paris. It's cheap, relatively quick and the cleanup is easy. But the resulting shell is also heavy and brittle, hard to store and prone to chipping off in exactly the spot you need it to be whole. Smooth-on's Plasti-Paste promises to alleviate at least 75 percent of those problems but costs about $17; plaster costs about $3. To work, the Plasti-Paste shell needs to be VERY light, VERY rigid and VERY easy to get off the mold. So...here goes.

Smooth-on Trowelable Plasti-Paste2016-05-16T14:17:51-07:00
3 02, 2009

Never deny the art

2017-10-07T17:50:22-07:00

OK, really not going to get too awfully philosophical here but over the weekend a realization was slammed home that should have been obvious and somehow was not: Once you get art into your head, one way or another, it's gotta come out. ;-) ....

Never deny the art2017-10-07T17:50:22-07:00
25 01, 2009

Thank you, Mid-Valley

2016-05-15T16:14:55-07:00

Boy, did I have a great time. I'd promised to give two lecture/demos on color and transparency control in casting and pate de verre. Between Dad's accident, economy shifts and the sad, sad state of kilnlessness, I just didn't see how I could keep that promise... BTW, guys: There's an updated casting resources list--just check the link at the top of the page. ...

Thank you, Mid-Valley2016-05-15T16:14:55-07:00
12 11, 2008

Are you a glass artist? I’m not.

2020-05-10T14:34:27-07:00

I'm an artist. Period. Is it just me being Ms. OversensitiveWordist, or is there something a tad demeaning in the term "glass artist?" I mean, when we talk about a sculptor, do we say he is a "bronze artist?" When we talk about a painter, is he an "oil artist?" Nope. So here's my soapbox on "glass artists."

Are you a glass artist? I’m not.2020-05-10T14:34:27-07:00
15 10, 2008

What a lousy time to have an auction…

2016-05-15T16:14:32-07:00

(given the state of the financial markets), but the Pilchuck auction is later this month. Once again I'm going to miss it due to prior commitments (and a kilnbuilding project that'll either bankrupt me or drive me nuts, maybe both). But at least I can have fun with the online catalog... It's kinda nice to see so many artist-buddies represented [...]

What a lousy time to have an auction…2016-05-15T16:14:32-07:00
26 09, 2008

Kilncarving with Thinfire

2016-05-16T14:16:00-07:00

I’m posting this one as a response to some folks on warmglass asking about kilncarving, so please bear with me. I’ve experimented with the level of detail possible in a kilncarving, and been pretty pleased with the results. At some point I’ll go back and mess with this some more, see what I can do. (And apologies for the crummy [...]

Kilncarving with Thinfire2016-05-16T14:16:00-07:00
25 09, 2008

Studius covetus

2016-05-16T14:15:21-07:00

I suffer from studio envy. Visited Chuck Franklin's 13,000-square-foot studio in glassland last night and immediately added it to my studio envy list. I think that makes six glassland studios that I'd like to live in some day: Doug Randall's new studio-slash-home that is as beautiful as it is functional Bullseye Glass' R&D center (especially the great big honking kilns [...]

Studius covetus2016-05-16T14:15:21-07:00
19 09, 2008

Optical delusions

2016-10-11T22:59:00-07:00

I’m back in Castuary (my term for that anxious period when the mold is in the kiln and you’re waiting to find out if you’ve just made heaven or hell in glass). As usual, it’s sending me into all kinds of odd musings. For example, I’ve run across two different perception phenomena during this Castuary. First is what’s called the [...]

Optical delusions2016-10-11T22:59:00-07:00
4 09, 2008

Playing footsie

2021-06-15T14:12:02-07:00

Why is it that the simplest projects have the biggest potential to drive you up a tree? If you're a regular reader of this blog you might recall me mentioning talented sculptor Maria Wickwire Palensky. She approached me last spring about casting a transparent foot and ankle for one of her sculptures. Among other things, Maria interprets ancient mythologies surrounding [...]

Playing footsie2021-06-15T14:12:02-07:00
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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