Where I work

I love seeing where other artists work, so this week I thought I'd contribute a picture of my messy little corner.

My workspace

Actually, this is pretty clean for me. I'm trying to keep only the glass I'm using in one sitting out on the table. Otherwise I wind up hunting for one glass rod in 50 while trying to keep the bead I'm working on solid but not cold. I can pat my head and rub my stomach at the same time, but rotating a bead in the flame while not rolling the rods I'm picking through onto the floor (to break!) is a whole different ball game. :)

some glass, sorted by manufacturer

I use Effetre (Moretti) glass most often because it's pretty inexpensive, but I love the way Lauscha glass melts (the purple and blue bundles second and third on the bottom from the right) and I use their clear for everything I encase. I also have glass made by Messy Color (on the right in the tubes) and some Double Helix (clear, bottom left). Whites and all my stringers are on top.

Even though they are all COE 104 (soft glass) I do have to be careful mixing glass from different companies in the same bead. Sometimes the glass will "play nice" together, but sometimes the "ideal" annealing temperature is so different that I just don't mix them.

Anyway, I can't end without posting a picture of my new torch:

Nortel Mega Minor Burner (Surface Mix)

I so love being able to reduce silver-laden glass without having to hold a leather glove over the air intake holes on my old Hot Head. I came close to burning myself quite a few times doing that. It got really hot, and I suspect it was pretty dangerous too. (So don't try that at home :-P )

That's it!

Keep on torchin'.

Kelley