I get asked this a lot so I thought I'd add some pictures and show you some before and after shots.

It's like painting with sugar--dry sugar, both powdered and crystalized.  That is about the consistency of the glass that I use to paint with.  The colors are muted in powdered form so it's hard to know what you will get.  Colors don't blend like watercolors--blue glass stays blue, yellow glass stays yellow--except of course if they react to each other in which case they may turn brown.  Yeah--it's kind of tricky. There is the occasional one that works well--but we'll save that for another post.

I have tried to use liquid mediums available to mix the powders but did not like the way they seemed to blur the lines.  I wanted crisper lines.  Hence dry powders--and business cards.  Yes that is my most used painting tool-- I move the powders around with a business card.  Depending on the edge and the angle, I get different depths of glass and size of lines.  Use carefully though.  You don't want the corner indentation of the card in the middle of Longs Peak. I use alot of other tools as well--sifters, palette knives, brushes and often my fingers.  Whatever I can to get the shapes I want.

I try to use the techniques I learn in my watercolor classes with Dennis Pendleton--same principles modified to  work with the medium.

To get distance, I use the same principle of less definition far away moving to more definition--that can translate to larger pieces of glass in the foreground or more brilliant colors.

Shading is also challenging.  Instead of mixing a darker shade to get shadows--again the mixing problem, I have found that most often it works to add more layers of the same color instead of trying to mix.  By changing the angle of the business card I achieve shading as well--steeper angle, lighter shade. Here's what Crested Butte looked like before it went in the kiln the first time.

Here's what it looked like after it was completed and mounted on aluminum.

Thank you to the lovely couple from Minnesota purchased this piece.

Well that's overall how I paint.  Firing the pieces is a whole other science--and another post.

Last weekend I had the pleasure of showing at the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo.  It's a lot of work to put up a show and by day's end I was too tired to even go to the show.  Yet the event was so soul nourishing for so many reasons.

So many people stopped by my booth attracted by the light on the glass and then drawn into my paintings.  I so enjoyed the conversations I had with many of you--thank you for your interest and comments--so positive.  Thank you especially to the art collectors who have added a piece of my work to their collections--I am humbled and honored to have my art grace the walls of your home and gallery.

And then there are the other artists--I so loved meeting you all.  You inspire me and encourage me and I hope in some small way, I can do the same for you.  I admire you all.  Your rivers run deep.  I look forward to meeting you in your studios and sharing ideas, inspiration and friendships.

The Art in the Park Show was phenomenal.  So many wonderful interpretations of the horse.  You could feel the power, freedom and companionship this wonderful animal brings to our lives.  Congratulations to the winners; well deserved although I really felt all of the artists won by being there.

Finally, I left with the Wild Hoofbeats book written by Carol Walker.  I have seen the horses running once in North Dakota.  They left an indelible mark on me.  The freedom epitomized by the running herd reminds me of what I love about flying.  I understand the reason the Renaissance artist painted wings on horses--it seems they defy gravity.  

I sat down to read the book, fascinated by the pictures. But I was captured by the words.  The descriptions of the bands, how they care for each other, grooming, fighting to stay together, even taking care of their own handicapped--it seems to come naturally to them.  I wish these behaviors were more natural in the human population.  Yet it was a heartbreaking read as well; learning of the Washington games that have put these free spirited animals at risk, while not surpirising, is infuriating.  So it has become my goal to learn more.  I want to learn more about the BLM--try to understand the managment issues and see what their side of the story is.  (There are always two sides and I'd like to make sure I understand both and not jump to quick judgements.) I'm going to go looking for the horses and then I'm going to paint them.  I'd like to help draw attention to our wild horses and hopefully in some small way help to keep them wild.  They are a symbol of our Western spirit but more importantly they are wonderful animals who should be conserved.  I have a feeling they will give me more than I will give them.

Merry Christmas everyone!

I hope your all staying warm.  We're having an unusual cold snap here in Denver.  The lovely thing that came along with it is the snows sticking around so it feels like Christmas is coming.

Yesterday I set up my tree--it's teeny but I love it!  I got it up in Louisville when I was visiting the gallery there.  And yes it's real.  I'm a bit of a tree snob and love real trees.  I couldn't find a little stand for it so it's looking a little dwarfed by the big ol stand we used in the past for our big trees.  Ah well--I shouldn't have to water it much.  

Every year I make a new ornament series and this year's theme is "Old Doors".  I drove around the Highlands and Louisville for inspiration and then started creating.  Each one is individually painted with a torch pulled handle--  I'm loving them.  Most of them are in the gallery shows but I hung a few on my own tree.   

For the shows, I hung them on some really cool metal trees that my friend Tate gave me--here's a quick pic of the series.

I hope your doors open often this season to friends and family and keep you warm and toasty inside!

E