The Delphi Blog

We found Mollie Barrow on Facebook in the midst of a discussion on Pot Melts. Mollie cooks up her incredible glass creations in a quiet eco-village in rural Ireland with her 10-year old son Elliot and cats Bonnie and Oscar. She is continually inspired by the Northern Lights, and the rich swirls of color in her pieces prove it. We were blown away by her magical melts, and we know you will be too. How did you get started in glass? I've been in love with glass art since I visited the Murano Glass Factory in Venice when I was 16. I was hypnotised by the skill and speed those guys had working with molten glass, and I would have loved to pursue glass seriously from then. As is often the case, however, life had other plans and it wasn't until I was in my late 20s that I finally picked it up. I took a 16-week fusing course at the only teaching studio in the country, with the intention of making some nice jewellery for myself. Then I made some for friends, and then their friends. And it grew from there. I'm a natural rule breaker, and I was soon experimenting with glasses and kiln times and mixing things I shouldn't mix and getting up to all sorts of shenanigans

Last weekend, while killing time in Detroit before a flight, I wandered into the Henry Ford Museum. If you haven't had a chance to visit this monstrous attraction, make plans now. Its incredible. I was there for three hours and saw only a small portion of what the museum has to offer. There are huge machinery collections, transportation exhibits and much, much more planes, trains and automobiles, oh my! I was especially intrigued with one particular machine. The Corning Glass Ribbon Machine. Before the invention of this machine, every light bulb was hand blown. As you can imagine, this process was painstakingly slow and expensive. But then a man named Will Woods came along and changed the world. This is his story. In 1898, Will Woods was a 19-year-old kid looking to pursue his dream of becoming a glassblower. He traveled to the Corning Glass Manufactory in Corning, NY to learn the art. Thomas Edison had commissioned Corning Glass to manufacture the envelopes for his first electric light bulbs in the early 1880s. At that time, skilled glassblowers called gaffers could produce just two bulbs per minute. Eight years later, Corning Gla

One of the biggest trends in jewelry for 2011 is layering . Layering necklaces appears chic without looking stuffy. The key to pulling off this look is combining different textures and lengths. Gone are the days of never mixing gold and silver. Dig through your jewelry box for charms, chains and forgotten items, and wear them together for a fresh look. Necklaces in different metal finishes, a string of pearls, and a brightly colored cabochon make an elegant statement on a plain white t-shirt or LBD. In 2008, we saw this layered look emerge on runways the world over, but it was a subtler approach (perhaps pairing a shorter gold chain with a longer one.) Now, anything goes. To keep it from getting tacky, (you dont want to end up looking like your crazy aunt Marge) follow these tips: The chains should be of varying lengths and staggered. Try mixing metals such as gold, gunmetal, silver and copper in varying shades. Wrap a strand of pearls, gems, glass beads or organza ribbon around one of the chains to add texture and sparkle. Delphi now offers metal ball chain in various shades and sizes (see photo at right). We also carry organza necklaces i

"My dad 'retired' and wasnt enjoying the change of pace so I suggested he get back into an old hobby (stained glass) by coming to work with me here at Delphi. He joined the customer service department and brought technical expertise and a passion for customer care that always made me proud to have him here. Along the way, he also got back into stained glass, and picked up an interest in mosaics, fusing and cold-working. Hes since 'retired' again, but cant quite seem to give up his love of tools and customers and finds his way back to Delphi as a photographer during our annual Art Glass Festival event, and as an assistant instructor with Guest Instructor Kent Lauer every year. T he photo (at right) was taken by Melanie Churchill during the 2010 AGF reception while dad and I were both cruising the crowd with our cameras. - Karina Foster, Delphi Glass Merchandising Assistant My father was born with a congenital hip disorder, and he didnt walk like the average person does, he swayed from side to side. My youngest son said he walked like a duck. He spent years in the hospital as a child going through painful surgeries as doctors tried to correct the problem. They never did. N

Thanks to a wide assortment of patterns, molds and instruction, its easy for hobbyists to make Tiffany style lampshades. We should mention right away that when we refer to Tiffany Style Lamps, were talking about lamps that are made on a mold (or form the terms are interchangeable). If a mold isn't needed, the lamp would be considered a Flat Panel Lamp . Making Tiffany style lamps is actually quite similar to making stained glass windows. The main difference is that after youve cut and foiled the pieces for your lamp, you solder them together on a mold, instead of on a flat surface. This is what gives the lamp its rounded shape. Most of the pieces in a Tiffany lamp need to be quite small to conform to the rounded mold. Thats why this type of shade, by its nature, has a considerable number of pieces. Most popular designs have about 150400 pieces, although some require nearly 2000. Obviously, another difference between Tiffany lamps and most windows is the amount of time required to complete the project. These lamps can be time consuming. The only supplies you need to get started on your first Tiffany style lampshade are a mold, a pattern and some glass. As far as tools go,

I love all things nautical. In fact my husband has completely banned me from purchasing any more striped shirts. But theres something so fresh about pairing bright blues and stark whites with splashes of red and coral. Its a trend that works on men and women, as well as in the home. The nautical theme in art and fashion has been around forever. Fashion icon Coco Chanel first made this tren d popular in the 1920s when she began to emulate the fisherman she met while yachting. Every spring/summer the trend pops up again, and according to top fashion designers like Michael Kors, its not going anywhere. For the home, nautical accents are appearing inside the pages of Southern Living and Better Homes and Gardens, and all over design blogs on the Internet. Fused glass starfish and shells, like the ones pictured below by Elida Koenig, would make a beautiful table centerpiece. I also love the intricate solder work and striking blue sails of the stained glass sailboat (pictured below). I can picture it sitting atop a buffet or bookshelf to brighten up a living room. The sea glass mirror, also pictured below, by Rhona Siegal would liven up a neutral wall. Glass art lends

Mosaics add charm and whimsy to any room in your home or corner of your garden. Mosaics are not only beautiful to display, but they are truly a lot of fun to make! Traditional mosaics are made by cutting tiny pieces of glass and fitting them together with just enough space between each piece for grout. Traditions change, however, and today's contemporary mosaics are not only made from glass but broken china pieces, buttons, shells and even Grandma's rhinestone jewelry. To begin, choose an item on which to mosaic- fountains, small bistro tables and stepping stones are good starting places, but generally mosaics can be applied to any and all surfaces. If you've chosen a smooth surface, rough it up first using fine grit sandpaper or score it using a craft knife. A rough surface will allow the adhesive to form a better grip. Next, decide on a pattern for your mosaic. For inspiration visit your local library or book store for a pattern or mosaic book. Once you have an idea for a design, draw it on paper and transfer it to the surface using carbon paper and a sharpen pencil or simply draw it directly on the surface. As with any craft project, the proper tools are essential.

In the winter of 2005, Craig Mitchell Smith wandered into a class at Delphi Glass in Lansing, MI. Six years, and thousands of creations later, Craig has taken the world by storm with his artistic vision. He is not a newcomer to the art world (his background is in painting, interior design, landscape and floral design), but glass changed everything for him. And what started as a hobby has quickly become a full-time job. His sculptures, some enormous in scale, have been spotted on television, in museum shows, garden exhibitions and now in his very own public gallery. In 2010, his glass cardinal ornaments hung on the National Christmas Tree in Washingon, D.C. When Dan Daniels, CEO of Delphi Glass, saw Craig's work for the first time he was speechless. He recognized in Craig a talent unmatched in the industry - the next great glass artist. Since then, Craig has become the darling of Delphi Glass, and is scheduled to appear in an upcoming catalog. Delphi Executive Director, Lisa Parks, caught up with Craig to ask him a few questions on his recent gallery opening and newfound fame. DG: You recently opened a new gallery in Okemos, MI. Tell us a little about the Gallery

When Charity Stewart's mosaic mirror made of old Starbucks Gift Cards was posted to our Artist Gallery as part of our Recycled Arts Contest , I couldn't help but notice. Cheerily nicknamed "Momma Mosaics", Charity creates brightly colored art that is whimsical and playful. She has mastered the art of using paper under glass, and repurposing found objects. We caught up with her to ask her a few questions about her signature style. How did you get started in glass? I discovered the joy of glass at the age of 12, when I was introduced to stained glass art by my grandmother. She inspired me to explore my creative side as we worked side-by-side in her tiny basement studio, cutting and grinding pieces for a large window panel. Those lessons in creativity launched my interest in glass art and eventually led me to classes in fusing and mosaics. Why mosaics? Have you ever been obsess ed with finishing a puzzle? Making a mosaic is similar, but unlike a puzzle where the end result is always the same, mosaics give you have the freedom to create the puzzle as you go. My designs are never really too preplanned, I enjoy the flow of the process and often find tha

Glass Artist Karen Mamel had all but packed away her glass tools when she opened her E-mail inbox. Sharon Jones of Good Shepherd Hospice in Sebring, Florida was inquiring about a stained glass window in a newly built chapel. A man was donating the window in honor of his beloved wife. She had previously built windows for two other Florida Hospices and spent much of her free time visiting patients and volunteering for the organization. A cancer survivor and nurse, she felt a particular connection to the patients. She called friend and pattern designer, Lynda Chandler, to explain the challenge. The project was a five-and-a-half-foot round window facing west, Karen said. Beyond that, she had rece ived little direction. Sharon at Good Shepherd had seen our work before and trusted us to come up with a good design. Karen and Lynda got to work. The pair met more than five years prior and discovered a mutual love for the arts. Lynda, a botanical illustrator, had a talent for bringing landscapes to life on paper, and Karen, an accomplished glass artist, was looking for someone to design custom glass patterns. Their first project was a stunning 27-foot window in their church.

The office was all abuzz when Marketing Director Monika Smolarczyk told us she was going to the Personal Glass Experience at the Morean Arts Center. She could tell we were jealous. Our corporate offices in Tampa, FL are just a short drive from the art center's location in St. Petersburg. Dating back to 1917, the former Art Club of St. Petersburg, has become a world-renowned center for glass art. The Personal Glass Experience is a one-on-one demonstration on glass blowing that takes place in the center's Hot Shop. For a nominal fee, a seasoned glass blower guides each participant through every step of the hot glass process until his or her glass sculpture or ornament is complete. First, the glass blower collected the glass from the furnace onto a large (and heavy) metal rod. At this point the glass is about 2,300F! Next, Monika rolled the glass onto a steel table, called a marver, to give the glass its cylindrical shape. She then reheated the glass in the furnace. The glass blower collected more glass, shaped and reheated. This process was repeated until the desired thickness was achieved. Finally, the project was returned to the furnace, heated and inserted into