Detached Retina!

Yes, that's the words we heard this past Monday concerning Micah's eye. As most of you know Micah's eye was injured severly this past January and his retina was patially detached. After emergeny surgery and some time things were looking postive. However lately, he began having vision problems again which led to a doctor's appoint on Monday, which is where we heard those 2 words again. So surgery on Thursday and another space of time to recover. We just thank God that recovery is an option! Haven't blown anything or done any glass in last 2 or 3 weeks. Will be doing some soon.
Will write later. Bye.

New Work

New iPhone

Yes, I got my new iPhone on Saturday. Double, Triple, x 10 really cool.
The only thing bad about my new 8 gig iPhone is, in 3 months they will come out with a new 20 gig for the same price with more features. What's a guy to do?

Highlight of Pittsburgh trip!

The highlight of my trip was of course to meet Dante and Janusz and watch them work. I didn't know what kind of people they were. I was delighted to find them approachable, humble, and considerate. Dante was real candid about things. He didn't act like he had to impress anybody. He was not pretentous. I seemed to identify with Dante's attitude about a few things. He called a lot of what you hear artists talk about concerning how they came up with this or that about their art, "Drivel" and I walked away from the conversation thinking, "That's exactly the way I have thought before." Refreshing! A huge highlight of the trip was when, 3 other students, Wayne, Steve, & Josh and I actually got to eat with Dante and Janusz! We spent about 2 hours talking and eating together. I even got to sit by Dante during the meal. Huge deal. I know Andy thinks I am joking but, "It be the truth man!"

I was totally impressed with Dante and Janusz as glass blowers, but even more as people. Dante said he wouldn't set foot in Oklahoma with stopping by for pizza! I would like to continue the budding relationship in the future if given the opportunity.

Pittsburgh Photos and Comments Part 2

We'll try this again.
This is a acorn that Dante blew out of some little pieces that he fused together and blew.

Along beside it is a clear optic molded low bowl with a chartreuse lip wrap. There was just something about that piece that I really liked alot. Understated elegance maybe? That chartreuse color also really intrigued me. I remember seeing some of Dante's tall vases that were that color with a purple eggplant color. They really were beautiful and began looking then for that chartreuse color. I searched all the color places and didn't find anything called chartreuse. I just figured Dante had some special color made up that only he had. When he used this chartreuse color and said it was his favorite color (he indicated mainly because of the quality of the rod and the way it behaved, I asked him what it was. Z-94. It is not called chartreuse from the color company. I think they call it yellow-green. Which explains why I couldn't find it. I think chartreuse even sounds neat! Anyway the first thing I tried to make when I got back was a clear optic bowl with a chartreuse lip wrap. I may post a picture later. Turned out decent for me.









This is Dante and Janusz talking about what they are going to do next. Next is a clear optic on a blown foot with red wraps.


















The Red 8 handled vase I also got to hold while it was still warm! Dante used G-178 (Crimson) I believe. Beautiful!












This is a retticello "seed". Dante blows these "seeds", then anneals them and looks them over. If the air bubbles and lines are good enough then he heats it back up and will blow it out for something. In this case, it was beautiful. If I would have done it is would have been one of those "Look Mom!" pieces. But when you are on Dante's level, alas, not quite good enough. So Dante and Janusz pulled cane, and did another retticello piece, and annealed it. It was a keeper. Dante used it the next day to do a "leaf" thingy. I got to hold it when it was still warm out of the annealer.

Yes Virginia, I did feel special! It was really somethng to hold that expensive art still warm. Dante didn't even seem nervous as different ones of us were holding it!

This is Janusz picking out the pieces of cane for the new retticello "seed" and this is the cane on the pastorelli ready to go in the glory hole. They use 60 pieces of cane on each of the cups used for the retticello seed!

Pittsburgh Photos and Comments

Here are a few pictures and some relevent comments.
This is a picture of Wayne, who is from the Philly area - really friendly and a nice guy - we hung around a little. Note: I rotated the photo appropriately before I downloaded in the computer and it is still off. If I go in Photoshop and save the photo then it's allright - takes too long and I am in a hurry, It's 2:11 am and I have to be be at up at 5:30 am and be at the restaruant @ 6:00 am.

I stayed at the Omni in Pittsburgh - Really nice place. This is a picture of the lobby.

This is a picture of me (black clothes and red stripe in the shirt) and Scott Novota (Known as Gnat in the blogoshphere).
Scott was a really nice guy. I got to meet his wife known as Minimolly - (if I understand correctly, nicknamed that because she drive a mini-cooper and her name is Molly) and also got to meet Corkchop - I think thats Gnat's boss at work.

I will post more later. The pictures quit uploading. sat there for 35 minutes and still wouldn't upload. One reason I don't post more often!
Bye for now.
CM