The Delphi Blog

How did you get started in glass? A friend bought me a small fused glass wall hanging many years ago and Id often gazed at it and wondered how it was made. Then in 2005, after being diagnosed with M.E./C.F.S. and lung problems, I was unable to continue with my career in the Learning Disabilities profession and needed an alternative and more therapeutic endeavor that would accommodate my condition. So, following a moment of madness in early 2008, where I bid for a kiln on e-bay, I began to experiment in glass and quickly became hooked on the colour, beauty and diversity of kiln-formed work. Why glass? Ive always admired architecture and loved the way a glass window could completely transform a room. And kiln-formed fused glass is such an exciting medium. My favorite part is the mixture of anticipation and trepidation I feel when Im opening the kiln it reminds me of Christmas morning as a child . How have your other interests/hobbies/career influenced your glass designs? I enjoy gardening and am often influenced by the shape or colour of a flower. Im also in the process on renovating my home which was built in 1901 and love being able to make my own unique tiles,

How did you get started in glass? I was lonely! I moved to Richmond, VA from Minneapolis, MN about six years ago, and didnt know a soul. I had a friend back in MN who worked with stained glass and it sounded fun and challenging. When I saw that Richmonds local Visual Arts Center offered evening stained glass classes, I decided to try it. Turns out, I love working with glass! (And I met some other great creative people too!) Why glass? Prior to working with glass, I was (and still am) an admirer of all types of glass creations leaded, fused, blown, mosaics, etc. I never considered trying leaded glass myself until my friend told me about the process, and totally demy stified it. And then I thought, I think I need to do this! I really enjoy the puzzle fitting the pieces together to create something beautiful is extremely gratifying. How have your other interests/hobbies/career influenced your glass designs? I have been drawing in graphite and charcoal for several years and I also dabble in photography and graphic design. All of these skill sets come in handy when creating original glass works. I like dramatic contrasts and balanced designs, and this extends to my g

Last week, we were surprised (and thrilled!) to receive a donation of 120 beautiful lampworked borosilicate beads for Beads of Courage. The artist was Ruth Kelley from Gainesville, MO. We caught up with her this week to ask her a few questions about her generous donation. Delphi: How did you hear about the Beads of Courage initiative? Ruth Kelley: Initially I saw a TV spot about Beads of Courage and how much the organization means to the patients. Then I got the Delphi e-newsletter about the initiative, and knew I had to contribute. Delphi: How did you get started flameworking? Ruth Kelley: A neighbor opened a studio (Sharon Stoffel of Morningstar Glass), and I started taking classes from her in 2008. Delphi: Who or what inspires you? Ruth Kelley: There are so many talented glass artists. I used to spend hours looking at websites and admiring artists' work. Plus, Sharon encouraged me to expand and try different techniques. I also had the opportunity to meet Sage Holland and her son at an open house at their studio in Fox Ar. And then there is all that beautiful glass! Delphi: Many of the beads you created were heart shaped, which has a special me

Of all the art mediums, glass is perhaps the most beautiful way to capture the magic of Mardi Gras. Glass artists in New Orleans, and across the US and worldwide, are embracing the holiday and creating some incredible projects. The Mardi Gras celebration is full of color and symbolism, and provides inspiration for bold, eccentric art. Delphi Artist, Julie Haan, whose talent extends into fusing, stained glass, mosaics and beyond, created the awesome projects you see in this post. Her inspiration? The rich history behind one of the world's most beloved celebrations. The actual phrase Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday in French. Its a long lasting European custom for people to overindulge before the sobering beginning of Lent. Some scholars believe the original roots can be traced back to ancient Roman times during their springtime feasting. In the United States, the Grand Capital of Mardi Gras is New Orleans, where celebrations have been going strong since the early 1700s. Mardi Gras is February 8, 2011. In the United States, the Mardi Gras tradition was established by krewes or private clubs. Today more than 60 krewes plan the parades, the balls and outrageous c

We get a lot of questions about Delphis shipping charges and procedures . But theres more that goes into our shipping than just a box and a stamp. We wrote this post to help take the mystery out of what we do. How is Shipping Calculated? Our website shipping calculations use real-time data from UPS (United Parcel Service) and USPS (United States Postal Service). Calculations are based on dimensional weight and distance traveled (shipping from zip code 48910). Weight calculations round up to the nearest pound per UPS's policies (1.1 lb = 2 lb weight class). Keep shipping in mind when ordering sheet glass. We ship our sheet glass in either a small box (up to 21 lbs.) or a large box (up to 45 lbs.) To get more bang for your shipping buck try to fully fill your glass box. Example: -Small and Medium size sheet glass will ship together. You can fit up to 12 pieces in a small box. This box is a $4.95 boxing fee + shipping -Large piecesof sheet glass will ship in large boxes. You can fit up to 9 pieces in this box. (No small or medium glass will ship in the large box) This box is a $6.95 boxing fee + shipping. (This is considered an oversized box and extra U

I may be 27, but I still love stickers . I don't think we ever really grow out of the desire to be rewarded for our accomplishments. In fact, merit badges, trophies, ribbons, etc. are even more valued as we get older and feel overworked and underappreciated. That's the thinking behind the new "Badges" feature on DelphiGlass.com. (We can't give you a raise, but we can give you a sticker!) These badges show up on your Artist Gallery profile as well as anytime you leave a comment or product review. Think of it as a public display of appreciation. Now everyone can see how awesome you are. You can earn a badge for posting a project in Delphi's Artist's Gallery, entering a Delphi contest or listing your ArtFire studio or Etsy shop. You can also earn a "Top Contributor" badge for leaving 10 or more comments and/or product reviews on the Delphi site. There are a few other ways to earn badges. Learn about them all here. Tell your friends, and wear your new badges with pride.

How did you get started in glass? I have always admired stained glass but never thought I would have the patience for it. It seemed like the process was daunting. I am the 'webmistress' for my Fremont Harley Owners Group Chapter and a lady in the Chapter created a glass panel to honor another member's wife who had passed. I mentioned to her that I'd always thought about doing stained glass but figured it was too hard. She offered to come teach me and change my mind. Last April, she did just that. It is labor intensive - but as a website developer I've developed the patience for intricate things. Why glass? I'm a very visual person, have always been artistic, and love vivid colors. Ever since I was little, I remember my mom washing out empty noxema bottles (cobalt blue) so I could hold them up to the light. I loved going to church just to look at the gorgeous stained glass windows. My favorite moment is holding panels up to the light for the first time. It's always an oooo ahhhh moment for me. How have your other interests/hobbies/career influenced your glass designs? Things I love show up in my glass panels, like my cats. I love red chili peppers a

We are all looking to make connections. The success of social networking sites like Facebook and YouTube prove it. We want to connect with people who have similar interests and affinities. We want to share our likes and dislikes with others-our time and talents. Perhaps this is why Delphi's Art Glass Festival has been so successful, especially in recent years. The Michigan Art Glass Festival brings in art glass enthusiasts from all over the world to meet Delphi instructors, art glass industry experts and fellow glass artists. More than 1,000 art glass enthusiasts poured into Delphis Creativity Center in 2010 and more are expected this year. This is a great opportunity to make new friends and learn more about art glass, said Lisa Parks, Executive Director of Delphi Glass. Its so neat to see people reunite who havent seen each other since previous Festivals. The level of competition increases each year as well. We are always amazed at the projects we receive, Parks said. It seems the bar is raised every year. All of the entries are put on display in the Lansing Creativity Center for visitors to peruse. Admission is free. The second arm of the Art Glass Festival is t

If you're looking for a reason to go Las Vegas, (as if you need a reason!) consider attending the 2011 Glass Craft and Bead Expo. The expo, held every Spring, comes alive with hundreds of classes and exhibitors, and this year will be no different. Classes will take place March 30 - April 3, and the show floor will be open April 1 - 3. Here are just a few of the unique classes that caught my eye. The full class line-up is available on the Expo website . Beginning Dichroic Boro Marbles by Josh Mazet Offhand Flamework Glass Blowing by Suellen Fowler Working with Reactive Glass, Opaline Color Shifts, Shadows and More! by Gail Stouffer Kiln Formed Dimensional Glass by Diana Wondergem Screen Printing on Glass by Tony Glander Up-Cycle It: Kiln Casting with Recycled Glass by Petra and Wolfgang Kaiser Beginning Fritography with Michael Dupille There are also several classes on photography and Photoshop software, and Internet success for your business. If you do plan to attend, please stop by the Delphi booth. We have a large booth every year with Delphi experts on hand to answer your product questions. Delphi also donates supplies to GC&B Expo ins

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } A few weeks ago I attended an arts festival in Tampa. And while I was pleasantly surprised to see so many glass artists showing, I noticed that many of the artists were displaying similar items. In fact, the show could have been called the Dichroic Cabochon Show. There were trays and trays of these cabochons at every booth, and while they looked beautiful sparkling in the sunlight, I wondered how many were actually selling. Artists making projects to sell at shows, giftshops or online, should try to diversify their offerings. Go one step further and offer something a little bit different. Flip through fashion magazines, peruse mall storefronts, and log into craft site forums to find out whats really selling. Here are some interesting pieces I found online (that I would love to wear!) There are so many possibilities with Dichroic glass; dont get stuck in a cabochon rut! Looking to purchase dichroic glass?

I love listening to the stories our customers share with us, especially during the holiday season. It seems this year there is a reoccurring theme. Snow globes. Water or snow globes are a huge decorating trend for holiday 2010. I remember fondly my very first snow globe, given to me on Christmas Eve, 1961. Right after the Christmas Church pageant, I was awarded an Away in the Manager globe for remembering all my lines in the play. I also remember, with a smile, the last episode of the TV show St. Elsewhere when the autistic son, looked into his snow globe, shook it and the entire hospital came alive. Did you know that water globes (The correct name, snow globes-came much later) have an interesting history? Water globes first appeared in the late 1800's in France and are believed to be derived from the concept of paperweights. The first water globe was a palm-sized glass globe featuring the Eiffel Tower as the center piece with a ceramic base. It was introduced to the public in the 1889 Paris Exposition and became a great souvenir item. Snow globes spread across Europe from France to Germany, Austria, Poland and then England. Figurines, clocks, dolls, medals and wedding flo