October 2025 eNEWS

RADICAL CREATIVITY, PART 2

As I mentioned in my last newsletter, Modeling Glass has been around for most of a decade, and has become a routine part of studio practice for many glass artists. Frequently I am contacted by MG users who thank me for making it possible for them to achieve effects that otherwise would have been impossible for them. This is incredibly heart-warming for me, and keeps me committed to developing new ways to work with MG. I see part of my role as the developer of this product as one of experimenter and demonstrator.

Case in point is the sugar skull I featured in the September e-newsletter, showing the basic Day of the Dead skull painted with enamels from my ebook Exploring Modeling Glass. It seemed like a fairly simple object, but it was only one component of a more complex design.

I was invited by nationally-known glassblower Elodie Holmes of Liquid Light Glass in Santa Fe, NM, to participate in the upcoming exhibit at her gallery/studio. This Day of the Dead Ofrenda show opens on Halloween, appropriately! The piece above is my submission, "Calavera por Pablo." It's a combination of several fusing techniques, and features Modeling Glass in the creation of the lacy blue flag, the skull, and the riot of colorful flowers. Measuring 11"x14", the panel is mounted on beautiful steel stands from Milkweed Arts. This project was a real labor of love for me, as it commemorates my younger brother Paul, who passed away earlier this year.

The flowers are a combination of elements made with silicone molds available in my online shop, as well as larger hand-sculpted blossoms that I fired in a sand bed. No paints or molds were used for the large flowers, just Modeling Glass and plenty of time. I'm very excited about them, and will describe how to set up a sand bed for dimensional casting in my next ebook.

I'll be stepping away from live teaching in 2026, so I can develop more fun ways for artists to take advantage of the versatility of Modeling Glass in their own art. If you're curious to know more, watch for the drop of my next ebook, Exploring Modeling Glass II: New Dimensions (currently in production). I'm shooting for a late January release.

2025-26 WORKSHOPS

Here are the workshops I have scheduled through the end of this year and into 2026. A couple are virtual, which is the direction I'm moving overall since traveling has become such a drag. Live teaching is fun, and I will still do it here and there.

December 2, 9, 16 Warm Glass UK live webinar. Students will learn how to build up surfaces to create sculptural, realistic bas-relief forms, which are then painted with enamels. (The panel at right is an example).

June 10-16 Glass Fest in Superior, WI! This annual member conference is produced by the Retailers of Art Glass and Supplies. I'll be offering workshops TBD.

2026 TBD Three-day workshop: Modeling Glass Magic With Enamels at Helios Glass, Austin TX. All new content! More info soon.

VISIT THE ONLINE SHOP!

The online shop is up and running on the Modeling Glass website! In addition to my Exploring Modeling Glass ebook, you can buy some of the specialized tools and products that are helpful for working with Modeling Glass, and essential to some of my workshops. The Mask Draping Form that I designed provides the perfect shape for the mask workshop project. I'm also offering precut mask blanks made from 3mm Tekta (available in clear or white). Talk about a time saver! Please go to the Modeling Glass website under the 'SHOP' tab to see the currently available products. I'll be adding more items very soon!

Want to purchase Modeling Glass? Order Yours Here!

LEARN MY FEATHER TECHNIQUE AT YOUR PACE WITH THIS VIDEO

I'm delighted that the feather-making instructional video I produced is now available through Milkweed Arts AZ! You can find it in their online education series here. If you purchased this several years ago from AAE Glass, it is the same content. But it's been unavailable for a while, so now's your chance to learn how I make my realistic, larger-than-life feathers! Since I am doing much less in-person teaching, this will best way for you to learn this technique.

This is a sampling of the many feathers you can make from the process I teach in the feathers video now available from Milkweed Arts! All Bullseye Glass powders. The largest feather is 19" long.

I continue to be amazed by the energy of all you glass artists who have continued to enjoy Modeling Glass, who post photos of your work and have lively discussions on the Modeling Glass Exploration Group on Facebook, and have been supportive of all things MG. I'm looking forward to working with you in classes, answering questions when you contact me (yes, I always reply), and sharing new ways to work with MG.Thank you!