Have you discovered Val Cox frits – OMG!

I went to a show in Massachusetts in November. My booth was set up next to Wes Fleming, and I showed him some iris opal dark brown frit, which used to be made by Arrow Springs. “Do you know where I can get more? I am at the bottom of my jar.” Wes suggested go talk to Val Cox.  I stood there like a lump. “I dare you to go talk to Val Cox,” Wes said.

So, I tiptoed across the show floor, and peered at her orderly rows of jars. She and I started talking. I showed Val what I was making, and what I was reaching for in imitating stone with glass, to give my tortoises earthy and fine jewelry qualities. She started grabbing jars, and baggies, and making suggestions. I went home with four or five jars and as many sample baggies.

There were no test paddles on her table of these frits. So I had no idea what I had.

O  M  G!!!!!

The following Monday, I opened my jars, and spilled the lovely confetti into frit dishes, and started making just test paddles. Holy guacamole, they were the most beautiful, luscious undefinable mosaics.

Now I know why she doesn’t have any test paddles – because every color I put these on looked completely different!  I felt like I was Dorothy down the rabbit hole!

Day one I made turtles and tortoises . And they were so rich and satisfying!

Day two I made visionary fish – and wow! Did they pop with colors and textures I’d never seen before!

So – if you’re looking for a new experience in lampworking – go to Valcoxfrit.com and start ordering samples. You’ll be ready to buy jars in a day or two- I certainly am!

Joyce Scott - Glass Artist? Artist in Glass

Joyce Scott does not consider herself a glass artist. She is an artist who works with glass.

Joyce works in glass thru another artist – a flame worker. She sits by, says, “I want a woman , well endowed, just the torso, I’ll add the other parts in beadwork later.” Then she directs the creation with comments like, “Don’t do that. What if you just kind of let go?”  And memorably, “I am an African American Woman – that butt is not big enough.”

During her lectures and presentations, these are the quotes that made it to my notebook.

“There are no mistakes, only opportunity.”

“This is your opportunity to do what YOU want.”

“Be fearless in the studio.”

“I know that’s stupid, but I’m doing it.” I nod in agreement – so much of creativity is a journey with some really really incredibly stupid first steps. Yet there is no journey at all without daring to be ridiculous, uncool, and unwise.

 “For your collectors to walk the journey with you, you have to make new work.”

“If you don’t know how to do it, learn how to do it.”

“You should be attracted to your weaknesses, usually we run from weaknesses.”

Joyce maintained that anything we are terrible at we must learn to do. I talked to her for a long time about how to approach galleries, how to get the foot in the door. I believed there was a secret password, some shortcut to entry. She said, no, just call and do what they tell you .

I went home, picked up the phone and called the Metropolitan Museum of Art gift shop. I said I was an artist, I wanted to talk to someone about getting my work for sale in their stores. They asked me which of five phone numbers I would like, or would I like the address for product development? I dove for that address. It was like a lifeline, I would send them stuff, never hear back, and be safely a failure, deal over! Easy! Simple! And exactly what I expected. An escape!

I hung up with my address in hand and could see my entire past of gallery soliciting attempts. I was looking for a way to fail. I was hunting, desperate, for a way out of the pressure of being evaluated, treated like garbage, and essentially having the door hit me in the metaphorical butt with every rejection.

  And I found myself with a pile of barriers I had erected for myself.  I am terrible on the phone. I will not get anywhere doing this. I am a failure and here is the proof, one call and a gallery owner has sent me whimpering to the dog house.  I am not worth their time, these people sell Remington bronze originals, I am not in this league. I have orders, I don’t have time for this, I am too pressured to be creative, I have to feed my tortoises!

I learned from Joyce Scott that it may be hard, but I can still do it anyway. I may even suck at it, but I can do it anyway. My excuses are just that. They are only solid barriers if I believe in them.

What my Lampwork Studio has in common with the Empire State Building

They both have heat and insulation.

My husband came out of my under-construction studio one day, two years ago, covered in little flecks of spray foam insulation. He said, "I didn't know it could be like that." When I ventured out, I found the walls insulated, beautifully, looking like brain coral all over the walls and ceiling. And brain coral babies stuck to my radio, my step stool, and my husband. Everything that had been in the room and not covered, including the windows, and his glasses, was encrusted.

Another studio construction day, my husband came into the house, and puffed up with deep fulfillment. He waxed lyrical about the heater he'd just installed. "So efficient. No terrible heating bills with this." Punctuated with eyebrows bouncing, a wise nod. "Yes yes! You have heat. You'll be toasty warm in here."

And he has been absolutely right, on every count. Lovely heater, click a button, whisper whisper, and  delightful warm air gushes.

My  husband is an extremely accomplished home construction guy. He is the kind of handy who tells the architect, "Hey, you got this wrong on the drawings. We need it corrected." And they say, "You are absolutely right. Glad you caught that." Whilst drawing an eraser from behind their ears.

So I am happy to say, my studio was 55 degrees when outside, the arctic blast brought Maryland to its knees. 5 degree air froze the state into a big, crab-flavored ice-cube. Everything was peachy, and I sat in my creative oasis, thrilled to grind earrings, and wrap orders for shipping.

So its not tall, like the Empire State Building. So its not historic, it far more to me than even the Guggenheim Art Museum.  Because it is my creative sanctuary. Thanks to my honey!