Smile

All the Apparatus

They call themselves "Avante-garde dirty gypsy klezmer jazz indie anti-folk rock!"

This band plays almost every weekend lately down by Ankeny Fountain. Street music at its best! I can hear them from where I am selling my artwork at the Portland Saturday Market, they make my mobiles dance (and maybe me too!). This Saturday I flagrantly abandoned my booth to take this video. Luckily I have good neighbors to make sales for me while I was gone :) Thanks!

They make me smile.

Pictures from the Glass School

its a slideshow - press play

Aquila Glass School

1628 N Columbia Blvd, Unit A - Portland, OR 97217

This is where I teach torchworking classes - look how much fun people are having! I love this place.

Kiln Glass Resource Centers

Let the glass flow...

Last night I had the awesome opportunity to join a group of artists at the Bullseye Glass Company to discuss KGRC. That would stand for Kiln Glass Resource Centers. Everyone is in town for BeCon and Bullseye generously hosted a meet n' greet round table event for the owners of Kiln Glass Resource Centers. We had a great discussion - I have so many new ideas now! And it was great to meet so many incredible people. Nathan Sandberg gave us a great presentation about achieving movement in fused glass. It was called "Going with the flow" and featured the work Bullseye did with artist Jun Kaneko. Really inspiring. I am drawn to movement in artwork and this presentation was all about causing motion in the glass with your kiln forming process. Very interesting.

Bullseye has a class that Nathan teaches for this technique

Speed Dating for Artists Round II: Visual Artists and Galleries

Last night was the second IHeartArt:Portland Mixer event. I would say I was there as a volunteer, but I didn't really do much work. :) I was there as an IHeartArt representative, to enjoy the atmosphere and network with everyone.
This event is really incredible: a free opportunity for established gallery curators to interview artists - a free opportunity for these artists to introduce themselves to the curators.
Its a "speed dating" event - replace single people looking for a hot date with artists looking for exposure.
I felt this nurturing energy around the crowd; everyone wanting to encourage each other and network with one-another. The picture above is a couple of the artists waiting to get interviewed and talking with each other about their portfolios.
There was a seminar recently (also organized by IHeartArt) on how artists should approach galleries and shops. Attending artists learned about what a curator might be looking for in a presentation, and then for this event there was a set of requirements for what the artists should bring with them. It was a well organized and smooth running event. Over 40 artists interviewed with 16 curators.
The artists seemed exhausted but exhilarated by the end of the event, and had many possible avenues to follow up with. And all the curators I spoke with afterwards were very enthusiastic about wanting to work with the artists they had met.
All the curators seemed to have a common sentiment that it was outstanding to meet so many artists they had never heard of. And they each had a handful of names that stuck out of artists that really made a great first impression.
Speed dating for artists - Portland Oregon style!
I really adore this concept and I appreciate all the hard work and care that goes into these events. IHeartArt is all about advocating for artists, educating the local community and providing the networking opportunities that make our passions grow into lucrative adventures.

Thanks IHeartArt for another great event!

If you want to read about my experience at last years IHeartArt Mixer:

• http://leahglass.blogspot.com/2010/09/i-heart-art-mixer-recap.html

Watch a video about the IHeartArt Mixer:

• http://leahglass.blogspot.com/2010/10/sweet-video-about-iheartart-event.html

Find out more about IHeartArt:

• http://iheartartpdx.com/

I Heart Art:Portland Party Friday Night

Party at PNCA for IHeartArt:Portland

I'll be there - how 'bout you? Come join me for some crafty good times! There are some fun crafting tables, some music, some cake, some Etsy shop help... I think someone from Etsy is flying out to join us.

I Heart Art: Portland is now one year old and we're celebrating the occasion! Its been a great first year and we have a lot planned for 2011. It rocks to be a crafty artist living in Portland. It rocks so much that now Baltimore has joined the fun and they have started an

I Heart Art: Baltimore. We're downright inspiring :)

Come to the party - celebrate local craftiness and learn more about the

I Heart Art organization.

7pm PNCA be there or be square

1241 NW Johnson Street
Free and open to the public.

I Heart Art: Portland

Advocacy, Education and Support for Portland's Vibrant Community of Makers

Fog + Portland + Camera = Fun

This morning I got up early and went on a photo adventure to capture the fog. Alright, so it wasn't all that early (I am a night owl) but the fog was persistent and I ended up driving around town for a couple hours checking out different sights...

The St. Johns Bridge (photo above) is simply gorgeous, so I headed there first. There is a beautiful park underneath the bridge, with a pier that let me get out on the water to take a few snapshots... there was a goose honking at me as I took pictures. I think he was calling to his girlfriend, or telling me to go away!
I then drove up to the shop to unload my kiln, while thinking about other locations for photo shoots... I passed the Old Historic Columbian Cemetery on the way to do some errands and couldn't resist pulling in to check it out... my photography teacher in high school used to take us to cemeteries to take pictures - and those were always my favorite photo adventures. Something about the different grave-stones and the old stories they contain. The details in the carvings, the remains of flowers left to pay respect, the general decay and crumbling of the years... I have always wanted to check out this old cemetery in N. Portland and it was certainly a neat adventure although I didn't take a whole lot of pictures... there was no fog at this point (wouldn't that have made for some incredible pictures!) just a funky old cemetery. There are a few pictures in my flickr account if you are curious... link
Lastly I stopped at the Grotto, there was still a bit of fog and I had been trying to get a good photo of a tree in a field in the fog... I had circled the Rose City Golf Course looking for just the right perspective on a beautiful tree. Golf courses have great trees and open fields, I thought this would be perfect, alas the fog was being elusive and coming and going without giving me the view that I was craving... so I headed over to the Grotto, they have beautiful trees and dramatic religious sculptures nestled among these trees. Sure enough the fog rolled back in for me and I wandered the Grotto appreciating the sights. Such an incredible place.

If you want to see more pictures, check out my Flickr account

Portland DIY Resources Adventure

I can't believe how many stores there are in this town offering great finds and deals to the small businessperson like myself. Tools, supplies, materials, displays, packaging, furniture, munchies, you name it! There is a store in town that sells it - and they do so with such character :)

I took my friend Amy on an adventure last week... Amy rents studio space with me at Aquila and is relatively new to town, I wanted to enjoy the afternoon with her and show her some of these great stores in Portland that are so useful to her crafty business.

Here was our itinerary:

1. Winks Hardware
2. City Liquidators
3. Bunk (sandwiches)
4. Portland Store Fixtures
5. Pitman Restaurant Supply Store
6. Harbor Freight

View Useful Stores in PDX in a larger map

As you can see the tour centered around one particular area of Portland, the SE waterfront area, cuz its awesome and packed with businesses that let their customers wander warehouses full of stuff.

I took Amy to Wink's first. I love me some W.C. Winks Hardware. Its a manly place, a quality hardware store, and its been in Portland since 1909. I love that you take a deli number to get your purchases. They seem to specialize in stocking wire of all types. This is very useful to me as a glass artist.

Then we continued on down the street to City Liquidators. We wandered every floor of both buildings. Its been a while since I've done this - this picture is from one of the warehouses, there is an entire floor of office chairs, we couldn't find the light so it was sorta dark...

photos courtesy of Amy - she was posting pictures of our silliness via her funphone on Facebook while we wandered warehouses!

After 6 floors of seating options, kitchen supplies, tools, office gear, warrior helmets, lighting and file cabinets, we decided it was time to eat. In need of fuel we headed over to Bunk for their famous sandwiches - delicious.

this is a picture of Amy at City Liquidator. Seriously you never know what you might find in this place!

Next was Portland Store Fixtures. This place is fabulous - and - they were having their first ever complete warehouse sale! It was pretty crazy, everything was on sale. Both Amy and I found some things we had to purchase. Everything in the warehouses was price-tagged in prep for the sale, and the labels were cracking me up. I bought this one display mostly because I loved its label, and I can use it to dispay a little mobile :) "Tall Shiney Thing".

We got a tour of all 3 buildings. They have renovated a new space down there right around SE 3rd and Main to rent to artists. Spaces are starting at a flat rate of $100 a month and there are larger spaces as well. Its a wonderful funky space - go ask them about it if this sounds interesting!

Continuing down the street we visited Pitman's Restaurant Supply - very useful place for the glass artist looking to buy inexpensive stainless steel things. They have both used and new kitchen supplies.

Our last stop was Harbor Freight on the way back up to the shop. This place is just amazing. Its like the dollar store for men. Cheap tools. You buy what you pay for, so yes, some of it is total crap, but its all cheap! And they have really useful stuff in there. Both Amy and I found a handful of things that we had to buy. I always seem to be drawn to silly things there... I found this kit from my little friend Micah:

Its a Crafty Wonderland!

This year the Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Holiday Show was spectacular as always. In fact, it was 2 days of awesome this year (in the past it was 6 hours on Sunday of crazy shopping craftiness).

12,000 people came to shop. Thousands lined up in the halls of the Portland Convention Center in the morning to get the free swag bags. This year they handed out free 2011 Chinook Books with the bags of swag (these are big books of local coupons - worth $20each).

I sold many pieces of my work, all the terrariums I had made went home with new owners and overall I had a really great time. Friday and Saturday nights I was still making things, by the end of the weekend my house looked like a hurricane of craft hit it. Sunday night I didn't even empty the car. I cleaned up in the morning and then brought all my tubs and display stuff inside to be organized back into storage to be used next summer for some big shows. I may vend at the Portland Saturday Market a few times before the end of the holiday season (weather permitting) but I am done with my craft show marathon for 2010. Now I must catch up on shipping and tending to my online orders. Yeah for the Holiday Season! Its an awesome experience to vend at the Crafty Wonderland, its like a big crafty hug... a little sweaty, a little glitter, a little retro, a little sumthin brand new, and a whole lot of awesome.

Awesome Find at Crafty Wonderland 2010

At Crafty Wonderland this weekend I did a bit o' shopping and I found these illustrations by Lisa Mirella, described as a trio of animals with dirty mouths having trouble with yarn. What is not to love!!!

Anyone who has spent a bit of time with me knows that I have an uncensored potty mouth.

These illustrations are printed on canvas and stretched, so they each look like little originals. The octopus needing a 9th arm to untangle his mittens, the fat bear in his unraveling sweater (aptly named "Shitty Yarn") and the giraffe who lost his scarf... all can be found in the Milktooth Etsy shop, there are both the prints and greeting cards, it looks like they sold out of the Fuck print right now, but if you send them a message maybe they will make you more!

http://Milktoof.etsy.com

Sold

This blog post is really just an excuse for me to pour longingly over these photos of my Tiniest Terrariums. I took them Thursday night as I was prepping for the show. I knew I wanted to capture their loveliness before they all flew the coop!

The airplants are a new addition to these little glass worlds. I LOVE this creation. I must make more.

These are some of the terrariums I sold this weekend at Urban Craft Uprising - I hope the lucky recipients of these treasures will love them as I have. They are sooo cute, they make me smile.

This one just makes me gasp - cute is the only word I have to describe it.

Seriously beautiful.

Enchanting. I love this little chick in a little vase. I must make more of these...

This one above I thought was sorta funny, the vase flopped out on the top in ways I hadn't really intended. But somehow its lovely in its wonkiness, especially with the strands of pearls cascading over the wobbly edge. And now its being given as a gift to someone. That makes me smile.

I LOVE this one above... its the simplest of them all, but for some reason I just love it. All the round shapes, of the vessel, the peas, the hole...

This shape was the only one I made like this, I must make more, its sorta a stretch fat tiny droplet shape, with the peas cramming themselves out of the hole. I love it.

this one (above) the little "chicks n' hens" has a small tiny baby attached to it, can you see it? Oh how these make me swoon!

This shape I took a pair of shears to the hot little vessel and cut the little slit, then I pulled the two pieces down to make the "shirt collar" look. *love*

Its hard to tell from this photo, but I put a little pour spout look on the top of the vase, so it looks like the plant is pouring out of the tiny mini terrarium.

The shapes of the little wisps of new plants coming out of the hole is just so delicious.

The "String of Pearls" plant (aka Senecio herreanus) is such a proud plant. It likes sun, but not directly sunlight, it likes water, but it prefers to go dry between waterings. Looks like jewelry made of peas to me.

This was just a silly little vessel with two bulbs. It found a good home. She came back for it, leave the show without it. Gotta love that!

Hope you enjoyed looking at these photos with me. I certainly did! These are just such a pleasure for me. I am exhausted from this past long weekend, but looking forward to getting my second wind. The holiday season is far from over!

If you are interested in purchasing one of my tiniest terrariums - I will be bringing them with me and my mobiles to Crafty Wonderland this weekend, and you can also purchase them at Splurge in NE Portland.

Rain in Portland

Its been raining a lot in Portland, supposed to snow. Up at elevation around here it has been snowing a lot... down at my house its just wet and the grass is freezing at night. Tim and I want to head up Mt. Hood to go to Bagby Hotsprings while we still can (its too remote and they don't plow the roads so its not accessible during the winter if there is a lot of heavy snowfall) but I fear it may be too late... and I have so much work to do... we'll see. I would like to see Bagby one last time before the Forest service sells that chunk of old growth forest.

My Dad took the picture above. It arrived in my email box today. I love how you can see one little flower in the rain drop. Delicious. Great photo Dad!

Chocolate Party!

Oh my goodness I went to a chocolate party last night. It was exciting! We made chocolate creations out of chocolate modeling clay at the Chocolate Studio in NE Portland.

some chocolate was tasted

and we brought libations to honor the chocolate

the proprietress made us chocolate blanks on which to craft our "cards" - they are delicious!

we had tools to work with and all sorts of cute little embellishments, edible balls and hearts and skullz and such

Glitter. Yes there were lots of edible sparkle options. There were various ways to use the sparkle on the chocolate. In particular the neat modeling clay became sticky right after sculpting (from the heat of my hands) so the sparkle luster would adhere easily with a simple paint brush.

This is the beginning of my first project... I started with a glass of wine and two different shades of orange and a white chocolate blank. I didn't know what to make! I'd been making mobiles for quite a few hours that day (holiday production is in full swing) so I went into production with the chocolate and made little tiny petals, with which I made little tiny flowers... they sparkle
My friends made all sorts of wonderful cards. There were cutters and rollers and piping chocolate, chocolate on brushes, chocolate with prints. It was pretty insane :) I think I touched about a bazillion things I wasn't supposed to. I felt like an idiot.
There were lots of different types of flowers made...
and balls... the ball tool was quiet popular as well...
In all the chocolate was both fun to eat and fun to play with - I want to buy some to play with at home!
It was a great chocolate experience - I think I might buy some kits and have a party :) Chocolate snowmen? Chocolate terrariums? Chocolate warm fuzzies?
below is a picture of the kits - as you can see they are very affordable, and they come with the "wondertool" which was the little purple number with which I made my flowers, as well as a bunch of other tools and clay... you can buy the kit on the Chocolate Craft site