Donna Sarafis

Donna Sarafis

Donna Sarafis and her husband John own Dancing Light Fused Glass Studio in Huntsville, TX. There they create their original designs which often include landscapes, birds, and florals with dimension and texture. Their studio also provides a wooded and peaceful atmosphere for their workshops where they teach their original, watercolor-like approach to painting with frit. Recently, Donna and John were the guest artists and instructors for the Delphi Art Glass Festival in Lansing, MI. In 2010, they were honored with a first place in the spring Art Glass Festival contest, and second place in the kiln formed category.  

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Donna Sarafis: A Story About Winning

Events and Contests
Where do I sell my work and how do I get there? Isn't that the question that is at the top of all of our lists? As John and I have plowed through what seemed at times to be an unknown and vast dessert with too few or too many direction signs, we eventually learned what worked for us. We've spent time investigating shows, galleries, commissions, advertising, contests and classes. All of these have been fruitful in one way or another, but some worked better for us than others. There are three that have impacted our business the most, and I will share those first. Early in 2010, I was sent an email by Delphi concerning the Spring Art Glass Festival Contest. I remember saying to John, "Wouldn't it be great if they chose one of our pictures to put in their catalog? That would be great advertising for us, and it would be Free!" All I had to do was load up pictures on the site. Sounds easy, but when you are technologically handicapped, it is not so easy. So I began to work through the process, and the first hurdle that had to be conquered was to take decent photographs. I found a digital camera on sale, John built me a closet-sized photo booth out of PVC, and we went

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Donna Sarafis: The Work of Inspiration

Inspiration
"Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration." - Thomas A. Edison Along the way, I've had some wonderful artists and friends share tips on how to make our endeavor successful, and these that I've chosen to pass on below may be the ones that have made the most difference. 1. Pick a path and focus. There are so many wonderful avenues that can be explored with fused glass.... or other glass mediums.... that for many of us, it is difficult to choose and focus on one area. Of course it may be necessary to take several classes to learn a variety of techniques in the beginning. I loved jewelry, contemporary design w/stringer and sizzle sticks, pattern bars, rod making, etc., but sooner or later, it is wise to pare down the list and focus on work that when viewed by others has a theme. In time, you can create a body of work that will become your signature. Spend some time looking at art of all types. Think about what it is in those particular pieces that just speaks to you, and begin moving in that direction. Georgia O'Keefe, Monet, and Klimt are especially exciting to me visually. Bold, beautiful, bright colors are my f

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Donna Sarafis: Basics of Fusing Part 2

How-To
Part 2 of a 2 part series on the basics of glass fusing. In this week's article Donna gives advice on indispensable tools for beginner glass fusers. In the beginning, I used one larger tool, and that was a Super Star Grinder . It is still running, running, running! Others have come, and some have gone, but this one is still here. For smaller cold working projects, diamond hand pads do a nice job. The next cutting tool that I bought was a saw. My Taurus 3 Ring Saw has worked extremely well for me, and I love what I can do with it that I couldn't do before, but I worked for 2 years before I purchased this nifty item. As for cutters and breakers, I have many, but for me, the Silberschnitt breaker pliers are a must for small (1/4") strip breaking.....saves so much glass. I use both plastic and metal breakers, and they are not expensive. Toyo is my favorite brand for cutters, but there are others that I understand are wonderful. The pencil cutter is great for my hand, but you need to handle several yourself to see which is the best fit for you. I do love the Morton cutting system ....especially the crates! They are wonderful for catching the shards that eat the s

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Donna Sarafis: Basics of Fusing Part 1

How-To
Part 1 of a 2 part blog on the basics of glass fusing. In this week's article Donna will tell us how to set up your work area and gives suggestions on finding the perfect kiln. Often potential fusers ask about the cost of getting started in glass. I found that it isn't as expensive as one might think because the list of necessities for the beginner is not too long. So what would the list look like for someone who had NO experience at all? Well, this is what I began with, and I think you might find these ideas helpful. Space to Work - A place to cut glass can be fairly small. The most important detail is a floor surface such as concrete that will be easy to clean. I tried commercial tile in my first studio, and the shards were soon embedded under the work area. Obviously, you want to keep the surface as clean as possible so that small glass shards are not tracked into other areas. I've found that a pair of shoes dedicated to the glass area is very wise....voice of experience. Where do I put a kiln? - If you live in the south as I do, a hot kiln can make the work area dreadfully hot if it is in the same room. On the other hand, it is great for heating in the wint

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Donna Sarafis: Inspiration from Within

Inspiration
Loving glass and loving to talk about glass and art are two of my favorite things to do. What I will be sharing with others and what others ask me about most often will be the subjects of my blogs for Delphi. But my first thought is always to one issue that I believe causes crafters, artists, and those who wish they could make something beautiful to stay on the side lines and possibly never take a class or open a book. It is this issue that often defeats us before we even start. It is a belief that we have no talent which often brings on a fear of failure. I have heard over and over again, I'm just not artistic (artsy, crafty, talented, gifted, good at). If you have ever felt that way, then you need to hear this. At one time, I felt the same way. Oh yeah! I could copy things when I was young, but I could never do anything ORIGINAL. I did paint by numbers, not REAL painting. I'm just a Mom, and I do crafty stuff. No one would PAY MONEY for my things. Have you heard these same or near same voices running around your head before? Well, you are in good company because most of us suffer from the nagging feelings that we are probably not a Renoir, and in reality,

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