Pages

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Glass That Makes You Smile - Judy Butler


Harry The Ostrich recently won a ribbon at the Sacramento Fine Arts Center. I was so pleased when my ostrich came to life in glass. He is created from an ostrich that I liked to draw when I was teaching English in Mexico. He would watch me intently in hopes of being given a reward - a lime from the nearby tree.

I work with glass because I enjoy the contrast of opaque and transparent. For example Harry is opaque yet the golden background is transparent - allowing the light to envelop him even more. Additionally the eyes are created from several layers of dichroic glass. Dichroic glass is highly reflective and therefore gives the depth I desired for his steady gaze.

This piece required multiple trips to the kiln - each time taking a minimum of 24 hours to carefully heat and cool the piece. This process is like Christmas because every time I open the kiln it is a new thrill to see what has been created.

To see more of my work please join me at Connie McLennan's beautiful home and studio in Rocklin during the Art Studio Trek.