The Delphi Blog

First, gather your table elements. 1. Table cloth 2. Table runner 3. Place mats/chargers 4. China/dinnerware 5. Glassware 6. Cutlery 7. Condiment sets 8. Candles 9. Napkin rings Second, arrange your elements. 1. Forks go on the left, knives and spoons on the right. Work from the outside in, so the cutlery that will be used first should be furthest from the plate. Knife blades should face inward, toward the plate. Cutlery for dessert (spoon or fork) can be placed horizontally above the plate or brought out with dessert. 2. The napkin should be placed to the left of the plate, under the fork(s) or in the center of the plate (as pictured top left.) 3. If serving bread, place a small plate above the forks and include a butter knife. 4. Glasses should be placed above the knives. 5. Dress it up! Add napkin rings and personalized place cards for each guest. Art Glass objects are perfect for jazzing up a dinner table. For more inspiration, read 6 Tips for Decorating Your Thanksgiving Dinner Table with Art Glass. Photo credit: Table setting top left, photos.com

What is dichroic glass? Dichroic glass is regular glass, dressed up. It gets its sparkling metallic colors from a complex scientific process. Glass is placed in a special vacuum chamber, in which quartz crystal and metal oxides are then vaporized. The resulting mist settles onto the glass and forms a unique crystal structure that reflects and transmits light in amazing ways. Coatings by Sandberg put together this great video illustrating the dichroic process. Where did dichroic glass come from? Dichroic glass dates back to 4th century AD , but was more recently used by NASA for dichroic filters. Dichroic glass was discovered in the 1970s by the art glass community and is now a coveted design element due to its unique characteristics. Why does dichroic glass change color? The coatings applied to the surface of the glass create both transmitted color (which is seen when you look through the glass) and reflected color (which is seen when the glass is viewed at an angle). This is why the colors seem to shift and change. How do I know what colors my Dichroic glass will be? Remember dichro presents multiple colors and can be difficult to photograph clearly.

Artists are often asked to donate items for charity auctions and fundraisers. And while most people love the idea of contributing to the greater good, a fundraising auction can end up hurting your career if you're not careful. I found a great article by ArtBusiness.com that lists several pointers for artists seeking auction success. Here are 9 key takeaways from this article: 1. The best events are those that support visual arts organizations and attract buyers from visual arts communities, like collectors. 2. Donate to non-art-related fundraisers only when it's an organization you feel strongly about. You'll be happy with your contribution even if you don't achieve any professional gain from the experience. 3. Find out how you (the artist) and your item will be presented. What will be said about you? Will your art be presented live or by photograph? Will your contact information be published in the program or on the website? 4. Talk to the people conducting the auction and ask what types of items (and prices) will sell best. 5. Donate a good piece of art. You want your donation to serve as a positive reflection of your talent. 6. Include your bio and contact

Feel better when you're knee-deep in frit? You probably do, and now we know why. Ladies Home Journal recently published a great article entitled, "Want to be Happier? Try Making Your Life a Little Harder." Author Catherine Newman cites the work of neuroscientist Kelly Lambert, Ph.D. who says, "When you do meaningful work with your hands, a kind of neurochemical feedback floods your brain with dopamine and seratonin. These happy brain chemicals are natural antidepressents, and we've evolved to release them both to reward ourselves for working with our hands and to motivate ourselves to do it some more." Harvard neurologist Marie Pasinski agrees saying, "We are programmed to reward ourselves when we accomplish things with our hands." The author goes on to say that creating things by hand has been proven to decrease stress levels, provide a greater sense of control and allow you to save money. Anyone who's bought art supplies knows the "saving money" part is up for discussion, but there is no doubt that finishing the project you've been slaving over for weeks is incredibly satisfying. How has glass art changed your life for the better? Email your story to us at featuredart

It's very rare that a video stops me in my tracks. But when a colleague sent me Hilltop Artists' "Black Forest Ham" video , I was hooked for the entire 7 min. and 58 seconds. If you haven't heard of Hilltop Artists , it's an organization that reaches out to at-risk teens and teaches them the art of fusing , flameworking , mosaics and glass blowing . More importantly, it gives kids a sense of self-worth and an outlet for pent-up frustration. With the help of Dale Chihuly, Hilltop Artists, a 501(c)3 non-profit glass arts program, opened in 1994. It provides classes and individualized instruction for more than 500 students each year, and no students are refused based on past behavior, grades, disabilities, or artistic talent. This video won a Telly award back in June for being one of the finest video productions created for the web. I encourage you to watch it and find out why.

On a recent company field trip to St. Petersburg, Florida, a group of Delphi Glass employees attended a glassblowing demonstration at a local Hot Shop. With music pumping in the background, the group watched as the glassblower gathered, rolled, twirled and twisted a glob of molten glass. He shaped it with conviction and intensity. He performed a calculated dance from the furnace, to the rod, to the steel table. And only moments later, the lava evolved into a striking vessel. From a furnace - to a queens dowry. That is the magic of glass. After the demonstration, the group wandered into the Hot Shops Glass Studio still mesmerized from the lively performance. The space sparkled with bottles, bowls, pitchers, jewelry and more. Had the group not just witnessed the demonstration, they might have overlooked these vessels. But now the bowls and plates were more than just colorful glass shapes. They represented an artist. A man with a compulsion, and a vision, and an ability to create something incredible from nothing at all. At Delphi, were inspired by art like this every day. This glassblower is one of many who make a living teaching, creating and selling glass art. And b

Kim Heenan has always been a creative person, but when she found glass, she fell in love. "I've done crafts for years, but when I found glass, it just consumed me," she said. She took her first glass class at Delphi Glass many years ago and has since become proficient in stained glass, fusing and mosaics. She never imagined she'd one day be working for Delphi, surrounded by the glass, books and tools that inspired her. For a little over a year, Kim has been working in Delphi's warehouse in quality control. She also creates custom art glass projects for friends and family and sells her work through her website . Recently, a writer for Greater Lansing Woman's Magazine spotted some of Kim's projects in a gallery in Old Town. The magazine decided to feature Kim in its monthly edition. At Delphi, we couldn't be more proud of Kim. She is just one of many Delphi employees who are also artists - we are so fortunate to have such a talented staff! Are you interested in taking a class at Delphi? Check out our latest class schedule.

Brazos Glassworks of Bryan, Texas is hosting a Glass Art Show and Competition in conjunction with Historic Downtown Bryan's October Art Step and the Texas Reds Steak and Wine Festival. The competition features glass art created by local artists and area students. Works in stained glass, fused/kiln worked glass, mosaics, cold-worked glass, blown and flameworked glass, beads and jewelry are acceptable. Owners Barbara Peevey and Debbie Jasek hope the show will raise awareness of the art form and the number of glass artists in the Bryan-College Station area.

We recently asked our Facebook fans to send us photos of glass art from their gardens . We received some especially interesting photos from glass artist Mark Hall. Impressed as we were, we realized that Mark's talent goes far beyond the confines of his garden. He is self-taught and has mastered German leading techniques, hand beveling, mirroring and sandblasting among other techniques. He fine-tuned hisskills while studying abroad in Germany at Derix Glass Studio,at Pilchuck School of Glass in Washington, andwith The Studio at the Corning Museum of Glass in New York. He and his wife, Leslie, now work together at Hallmark Glass. How did you get started in glass? In 1976 my brother informed me he'd started a business, and I was his partner. Surprised, I asked, What's our business? He responded, Stained glass . I knew nothing about it, so I learned how to make a window on our first commission. Why glass? My brother decided this for me, and my interest in the field has kept me on track. How have your other interests/hobbies/career influenced your glass designs? First of all my focus became glass, most other hobbies fell by the wayside. Now I don't fish

Thank you to everyone who entered Delphi's first-ever Christmas in July Contest . We had more than 125 amazing entries in stained glass, mosaics, flameworking, jewelry and fusing. A team of Delphi experts and artists chose the winners after much deliberation. Winners will receive a Delphi Gift card as well as the opportunity to be featured in a Delphi publication. Thanks for another great contest! View a complete list of winners here. Pictured: Second Place overall winner. This large panel by Cara DiMassimo depicts a lone polar bear exploring a snowy ice flow. It is created using Bullseye 90 COE glass.

I am often inspired by the glass work of our customers and Facebook fans. They are always thinking outside the box and using Delphi products in new and interesting ways. Recently we asked our fans to send us photos of glass art from their very own back yards. We received so many amazing projects, we decided to share a few here on our blog. Joleen Siebert, of Magic Gardens Stained Glass, created these two beautiful stained glass Koi fish panels (top left and at right). The larger panel is made up of 120 pieces of Spectrum , Kokomo and Bullseye glass. The smaller panel is made up of 40 pieces of Spectrum and scrap glass. It is framed in copper tubing. Both are foil construction. She designed these pieces from a spectrum pattern and adaptations of photos she found online. Mark Hall of Hallmark Glass created a whimsical birdbath (at left) using three layers of 5/16" thick boiler plate, with frit made from an old vodka bottle. Mark says he loves to create birdbaths and typically uses 1/4" plate glass rounds (cut out of the same sheet) with colored glass paint between the layers. He often uses crushed bottle chips in the center with mica flakes around the rim, so the