The Evolution of a Butterfly

I attended a meeting for my local chapter of International Society of Glass Beadmakers (ISGB), ISGB Boston. At this meeting a call was put forth for butterflies for Beads of Courage.

As it often goes, an idea I have had rolling around in my head for some time, finally makes it to the torch. I knew exactly what I wanted to do and thought it would be easily doable. Unfortunately I was wrong. I can't believe I'm going to share this first picture with you, a pitiful outcome, not exactly the picture I saw in my head.

I think we all experience this, so this is why I am willing to share the picture of my first attempt. We see a beautiful a piece of artistry in our visions and it may take a bit of practice and experimentation before our work satisfies us and becomes a piece we can be proud of.

My first (and sad) attempt...

I quickly realized, perhaps, I was not ready for so much required detail in such a small area. So I changed my focus. I would try a butterfly wing. Hmmmm.... I was a bit more pleased with the outcome. Although not completely there.

My third attempt. My strategy was ever changing. I would try a butterfly wing, much more closely shaped to a true wing, and a slight change in color combination with acid etching of the final bead in mind.

I am pleased with the third attempt. Enough so that I will list this bead for sale in my Etsy shop. However, I still have more work to do with butterflies. I need to create some beautiful butterflies for Beads of Courage. My mind is spinning with ideas. So forward I go, ready to clarify those ideas behind the torch.

Om Inspired

I love to know where an artists inspiration comes from. It is something that I find fascinating. Back in my quilting days I knew a quilter who once told me she finds inspiration for a quilt everywhere she looks. It occurred to me at that time that I did not completely understand that. I did not feel that way about my quilts. I was more inspired by a fabric or a quilt pattern, which I thought was rather simple and boring of me.

Since my discovery of lampworking I can now say I completely understand that statement. I am inspired by everything. Every shape, color, pattern, nature in particular, gets my mind rolling with excitement and I begin to think, "how can I translate that into glass?" It is truly an exciting place to be. The only problem is that I have so many ideas sometimes it can take quite some time for these ideas to actually come to fruition and be seen in glass. I have a couple of sketch pads which I always draw out my ideas. I refer back to these images and notes when the time comes to take these ideas to the torch or if I need a kick in the inspirational pants.

My fellow Fire Diva (read the Divas blog), Janel, writes a blog for Art Bead Scene. She put out a call to other Fire Divas (Become a fan on Facebook) for OM beads. I have been wanting to make OM beads for sometime but for reasons unknown to me I simply never did. Of course when I read Janel's post my brain began to light up and excitement built. A day at the torch produced some OM beads and left me feeling satisfied. Another idea finally made it to the finished stage in glass. I'm sure I will make more of these but for the time being the artist is me is feeling satisfied. That is a happy place to be.

You can find these beads for sale in my Etsy Shop and my Artfire shop.