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Glass Slipper
The
Fitting all manner of glass...
May 2009 Newsletter
In this month's
newsletter...
Pg.1
President's Comments
Next Meeting
Pg.2
Featured Artist
Ellen Dooley
Pg.3
Anouncements
ISGB Rtreat
Pg.4
Safety - Burns
Pg.5
Safety cont.
Retreat Pictures
Quality
There is a book I keep hearing about called "Outliers: The Story of
Success" The quote from the book that sticks in my mind is that you
need to practice 10,000 hours at anything to become good at it.
Practice, practice, practice! This brings me to my quality issue on the
subject of beads. When I look at some of the beads for sale on the
internet, I wonder if the maker is looking at them through different
eyes than I am. I think of the singer on "American Idol" that thinks
they can sing professionally, but in reality they are tone deaf. Is there a
similar vision "deafness" in some bead makers? I am very grateful to
have had instructors when I started making beads remind me to check
the bead holes, is your bead on center, is it too thin or have small parts
or dots that will break off?
Quality matters. You get one shot at your reputation. Beads that break
do not make customers happy. Even if you tell them you will replace
them if they break. It also reflects on other bead makers. Would you
buy a car if you knew the wheels may fall off? The general public does
not know the difference between the mass made glass beads and
quality handmade beads. Poor quality hand made beads make it harder
to explain the difference between the two.
Quality versus quantity. Get and listen to constructive criticism; it
helps. I know. There are times when I am in a crazy color scheme and
when I show the beads to my family, they will say " What were you
thinking"? Reality check! Or maybe, "this part of the bead is good, but
that part just doesn't work".
This is my own personal opinion on a subject that has been discussed
many times on many different forums. Now get on the torch and make
some beads!
Cheryl
Next
Meeting
PRATT FINE ARTS CENTER
1902 South Main St., Seattle, WA
(206) 328-2200
Featured Artist - Ellen Dooley
I was born in Evanston, Illinois, and grew up in the Southwest where I studied art and
psychology at Mesa State College in Grand Junction, Colorado. I love traveling and have
found lots of inspiration in my travels around the world.
After college, I worked as an 'artist in residence' in New Mexico and Colorado, as well as in
Washington, as a papermaker. But the first time I saw a lampworked bead, I knew I had to
learn to make them! I actually bought a torch before I had learned the first thing about glass
beadmaking.
I took a couple of classes at Pratt in Seattle with Sabrina Knowles and Michael Max. That was
almost fourteen years ago. I am self-taught with the exception of those early classes. I sold
my beads on ebay for ten years starting in 1998. Now, I sell primarily through Etsy and my
website to jewelry designers and other bead enthusiasts.
In addition to making sets and focal beads for designers, I have been working on a series of
cold-worked lapidary faceted beads. This is the main focus of my current work. I work in many
soft glasses as well as an occasional session with borosilicate glass.
I am also working on a new website, www.thelampworkbead.com, which will be launched
shortly, a collection of lampwork information, including bead artists, suppliers, jewelry
designers, bead societies, a forum: all things lampwork.
Working at the torch continues to be an amazing, inspiring gift! Combinations of color and
form, often inspired by nature (I live on five acres north of Bellingham), make beadmaking an
organic, lively form of expression.
Ellen Dooley Lampwork and Design
Website: www.ellendooley.com
Email: [email protected]
Etsy Store: www.edooley.etsy.com
Fire and Rain Glass Bead Society
New Post Office Box
Fire and Rain Glass Bead Society
P.O. Box 1645
Milton, WA 98354
New Treasurer
Barclay Blanchard has resigned as treasurer for personal reasons. She has served these last
several years with integrety and perseverance. The chapter extends our gratitude and
appreciation for her valuable service.
Ellen Harbison has volunteered to take on the treasurer's responsibilities. She has been
sharing the vice presidents position with Stacy Frost. We welcome Ellen to her new duties and
extend our thanks and appreciation for stepping in.
2nd Annual NW Region ISGB Retreat - 2009
The Fire and Rain Chapter and the Oregon Regional Bead Society co-hosted the Northwest Region
ISBB's second annual Retreat at Frantz Art Glass Supply on April 25th and 26th 2009.
Saturday morning, bright and early, saw the coffee on and Ellen Harbison at the center of the group
telling us about her experience with heavily silvered glass, Double Helix mostly, applied to ivory and
black base beads. She demonstrated the different reactions both encased and not. Very interesting and
informative.
Susan Mason then showed the group how to use a small blowpipe to make shards; again with
Double Helix glass. I was amazed at the changes produced by the seemingly thinned out shard glass
when applied to ivory and reduced or oxidized producing very striking and beautiful colors.
We took a break for lunch of delicious oriental food and salad. Thank you to Leslie's sister Dawn for
all her help in setting up lunch both days. Yeah!
After lunch we held the April chapter meeting and bead exchange.
Saturday afternoon Brian McLeron gave a great presentation on using digital photography to
photograph your glass work. He presented a thorough non-technical description of the principals of
photography and camera workings and then demonstrated simple inexpensive tools and tehniques to
get professional quality pictures. Brian conducts classes in the Portland area and can be reached at
<[email protected]> if you would like to contact him.
Sunday was another great day and started early with Jed Hannay, owner and founder of Double
Helix Glass, holding the audience enthraled with his description of DH silvered glass reduction and
oxidation methods, his company philosophy and the various glass formulas that he uses.
Pat Frantz then took over the demo area with an animated and informative demo of how to use
dichro in beads. She discussed methods and precautions when using dichro such as how to not burn it
and made several beads to show those methods.
Meanwhile a group gathered around Ellen Harbison as she showed them how to wind metal wire
around a mandrel and then cut jump rings. She then showed the group how to use the rings they made
to 'weave' them into strands for bracelets and necklaces.
Lastly, Robin Moore made a boro implosion flower pendent using those pesky Crayon colors. You
know the ones! The ones that always seem to burn and bubble.
Everyone enjoyed a great learning experience and had lots of fun with new and old friends.
Fire and Rain Glass Bead Society
SAFETY - Burns and their Treatment
Burns are potentially one of the most harmfull types of damage you can do to your body. This
is a result of the extent of the area exposed by the injury to infection and the penetrating
nature of the heat. They are also one of the most painful of injuries where even a minor burn
can be extremely painful.
There are three catagories of burns called out in degrees of seriousness. There is large overlap
within the catagories and classifying is somewhat subjective.
We all know first degree burns. They are initially very painful. The affected area will be red
but not open to the tissue below. The pain and redness will lessen and go away in a few hours
and there may be peeling after a few days. First degree burns are what I call the "Damn that
hurts. I hope it doesn't blister. I'll look at it when I'm done here." catagory. Mild to moderate
sunburn or hands briefly to close to the flame might be examples.
Second degree burns are in my "Holy Creeping Crud!". I drop the glass, blow on the burn area,
shut down the torch and head for the ice and first aid kit muttering " boy that's gonna blister
and hurt like hell for several days!" catagory. There will be blistering. These burns start to fall
into the high risk catagory where secondary damage and infection is possible if they are not
treated. They usually do not do much damage if any to underlying tissue on the low end of the
scale but if approaching third degree can extend quite deep into the tissue under the skin.
They can be very serious and require professional help in the upper range of the catagory
particularly if the wound is open to underlying tissue. Scarring is possible.
My reaction to a third degree burn on the low end of the range is usually a grim silence, gritted
teeth, body tensing, immediate abandonment of what I'm doing, and reviewing in my mind the
route to the nearest clinic. Third degree burns are very serious and represent a large threat to
your body's health. These burns cause significant damage to the skin layers and to the
underlying tissue, almost always scarring, and are extremely painful for some time. Seek
medical help immediately! Please!
Keep in mind that the affected area of the burn can drastically effect the seriousness of a burn
and what catagory it is. The more area affected the more serious the burn. Your overall health
will also be a big factor in more serious cases. A friend was doing boiler repairs to a boiler that
was shutdown and completely depressureized. When he pushed in the access plate hot water
vapor such as from taking the lid off a big pot of hot water rose out of the opening. His reaction
was to lean back and make a gasp. That gasp sucked hot vapor into his lungs. He had no skin
burns; no redness, no pain. He died two days later.
Burn treatment for any burn above mid-level second degree burns should be done by a doctor.
Seek medical help as soon as possible to insure no secondary effects. The doctor can relieve the
pain, treat against infection, greatly reduce subsequent scarring and supply proper
medications.
Fire and Rain Glass Bead Society
BURN Safety continued.
The treatment for second and first degree burns is pretty much identical. Cool the area as
quickly as possible with cool, not cold, water or ice in a cover. Do not use ice against the skin.
Heat penetrates into the skin so cooling helps dissipate that heat and stop the injury
progression. Do not put butter or other oily substances on anything but the most minor burn
until healing has started and infection is no longer a risk. Do not break the blisters. Cover
the wound with a clean dry steril dressing that allows air to circulate to the area. Very minor
first degree burns that do not blister may require only a soothing bacterial type spray and
protection from abrasion.
STAY SAFE
Retreat pictures;
Sorry, no one got a picture of the
photographer ... dauh!