The Delphi Blog

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

Glass artist Carol Lancour sent over these "before and after" photos of an old glass light fixture she found in her garage. She mosaicked the forgotten item and repurposed it into a glimmering garden orb. (Carol is the same artist who turned concrete blocks into stunning planters for her backyard.) Genius! Looking for Recycled Arts Supplies? Free Recycled Arts Project Guides here.

Stained Glass Stylists of Waretown, New Jersey has become a haven for would-be artists as well as experienced artisans. They've been around for 14 years now, and owners Butch and Jane Gathright say they're not going anywhere. Butch started in stained glass almost 25 years ago. "There was no one to teach me how to do the craft so I became self-taught, he said. Having endured the hardships of learning on his own, he made it his mission to help others learn the craft. Over the years I've seen many people go from having never touched a piece of glass to opening their own businesses, he said. Stained Glass Stylists offers classes in stained glass, kiln-formed glass and more. They also sell a variety of supplies in-store and online. In addition, they specialize in repairs and custom work. For more information visit their website or find them on Facebook by searching StainedGlassStylists. You can also email them at [email protected] or call them at (609) 242-0555. They are open Tues. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST, Wed. - Fri. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. EST, and Sat. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST. Tutoring assistance is available Tues. and Sat. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. EST. Stained Glass classes are

Last year, we asked our Facebook fans to tell us how they use regular household items as tools in glass art creation . We got a fantastic list of ideas! When we asked again this year, we got a few more great tips to share. Here's the list, Part II. Thanks everyone! Folger's coffee buckets for scrap glass A cut-up cardboard box instead of a grinder shield The plastic tops of milk containers for holding flux while working Spoons for frit to roll beads in; baby spoons to hold small amounts of frit Silverware basket from dishwasher to hold tools Canning jars to hold frit Wooden toothpicks for mandrels Stainless steel bowls and containers for slumping Page protectors to keep patterns dry while grinding Cut an apron out of old plastic tablecloth to use while grinding. Use a kitchen apron as a pattern - no sewing involved! Read Household Items You Can Use as Tools, Part I.

Can I use two pieces of mirror back to back in a window so it will look nice from both sides? Yes, you can. Like any pieces of mirror you use in a panel, youll want to use a sealant of some kind (ask your supplier for a recommendation) on the edges and back side of each piece before placing them back to back. The sealant is used to help prevent black rot a discoloring of the mirror caused when something nasty, most likely the flux , gets between the mirrored surface and the glass itself. The sealant is applied after youve cut and ground each piece of mirror to its final shape. Once the mirrors are cut and sealed, hold them back to back and wrap a wide foil (probably 3/8 if youre using 1/8 thick mirror) around the edge of both pieces together. You now have a piece thats 1/4 thick. Keep this in mind when you solder it in place because its going to stick out on one side of your panel or the other (or a little on both sides). I hope you werent planning to construct this window with lead, because itll be hard to find a came appropriate for the job. Another option is to use front surface mirror . Its reflective on both sides so you dont need to plate two pieces togethe

How did you get started in glass? I originally just did tile mosaics and then a friend sent me info on taking a class at Delphi for fused glass mosaics taught by Christine Stewart. I was hooked and had my own kiln within a few months. Why glass? Its infinitely easier than working with ceramic tile! I like the way the fused glass lets me incorporate rounded shapes with the hard edges of cut glass. Why is recycling important to you? I always take everyones leftovers tile, glass, wire, rocks, beads because you never know what project you can use even the smallest pieces in. Then you can elaborate: my friend gave me that, my neighbor was throwing that away. Im currently working with the Michigan Chapter of the IIDA and ZeroLandfill where they divert architectural samples from the landfill for upcycling. Its a wonderful way to get free goodies! How have your other interests/hobbies/career influenced your glass designs? Ive been a graphic designer by trade for my whole working career and glass lets me get out from behind the computer and get my hands dirty again. What inspires you? Nature and its textures. What makes your work

Global Overview of Colors Theme: The spectrum of color for 2011-2012 is wide and diverse. These colors are rich saturated hues. They evoke a sense of intensity and culture. They are cheery and, in most cases, bright. Follow your own inspiration. Break a color rule or mix palettes. Remember, color is personal and can infuse vibrant emotion. Influences: Brighter colors may lift our spirits during these uncertain economic times and create a sense of optimism for the future. The palette is bright but not radical. With an eye turned towards revitalizing the economy, colors, like our thoughts about the future, are slightly more reserved, said Kate Smith of Sensational Color. Applications: Color allows us to change our environment quickly, and most times, with little effort and little expense. Choosing a new wall color and adding lighting, hard or soft accessories (table top or pillows as examples) floor or window treatments can complement your style or personal taste. A pop of color will make traditional pieces within your home feel more unique and eclectic. Globa l Blues and Greens: The current colors, blue and greens (cool-wishful colors), will rem

1-2-3 Alphabet Soup Make your style personal and creative. Use numbers and letters to personalize your home dcor. Various fonts, sizes, colors and unusual applications create striking results. Initials, monograms and words add depth and sometimes amusement to a bare wall or boring box, and will always require a second look. Numbers are also popular. A house number, significant date, anniversary or just a favorite number (mine is 16) all add a personal touch to everyday projects. Todays numbers appear clean, fresh and new again. Combining new project ideas and vintage pieces, can be show stopping when displayed together. Whatever you create, youll be #1, and get an A for your efforts. Drawer Pulls / Knobs A quick and easy project that everyone can do. When added to a piece of furniture, drawer pulls instantly give a room personality. Initials or monograms are fun and creative and will be unexpected. Another quick idea is to add the knobs to a wood board and instantly you have a creative clothes rack. Letters like B-A-T-H or W-A-S-H will liven up bathrooms and laundry areas and create an unexpected second look! Glass Magnetic Letters A quick and fun

There are several reasons why crafters might grind every piece of glass. One would be because they arent able to cut their pieces accurately with a glass cutter, or they are incredibly picky about the way their pieces fit. A more likely reason is that by touching every edge against the grinder head, it smooths all of the sharp glass edges. This removes any flared or irregular edges which means less cut fingers. Some people feel that they have better luck foiling a ground surface than a slick one. This is probably due to the edge being perpendicular after grinding more than it is to the fact that the edge has been roughed up. Keep in mind that if you run the grinder along every glass edge, you need to carefully clean each piece to remove the glass dust created by the grinder. Otherwise, the dust will keep your foil from sticking. Reprinted with permission from Stained Glass News . All rights reserved. Photo of Peacock Panel by AmberLyn's STG ; 2011 Art Glass Festival Entry

Carol Lancour can find beauty in just about anything. She jokes that she can look at a chunk of concrete and see potential. And while she says her friends think she's crazy, there is a greater purpose behind her vision. "For me, finding something discarded and repurposing it into something beautiful and useful is its own reward," she says. "I strive to make every project I undertake aesthetically pleasing, well-made and purposeful." Carol used to paint and draw to satiate her need to be creative, but she turned to glass when a friend showed her how to cut up stained glass for mosaics. She bought her first set of cutting tools from Delphi in 2000. "Glass comes in every beautiful color, refracts light and sparkles in the sun," she says. "I like the durability of something so fragile." Carol began creating mosaics with her cut up glass, starting with a mosaic flower pot. Her projects eventually grew to be much larger. "I don't know a lot of other people who do large-scale mosaic projects with pieces that are mostly hand cut and -inch or smaller, she says. Her favorite recycled project is an herb garden planter made from cinder blocks excavated from her back yard and