Almost gone

In a few hours I will be on the plane to Sydney and NZ after that. Here is another bead in the Volcanoes serie, I can't wait ti be there. I'll try to post updates and pics along the way.
Happy holidays !

Virtual NZ inspiration

Even though I haven't set foot in it yet, New Zealand has already started to be a source of inspiration. Or rather my idea of New Zealand, which may of course not have anything to do with what I'll actually see there !
This series is also an interesting insight into my thought processes. Basically I like clean uncluttered lines so the longer I work on a series, the simpler it gets. In looks at least because that's not necessarily related to the technical challenges. So after starting with a fairly litteral image of a volcano (a very difficult bead to photograph by the way, it's much better in person), here is where I am now: my own epurated vision of the volcano.

Winter

My last update dates back a little but I couldn't resist posting a weather update... all white this morning, which is a good thing as it means that the temperature has actually gone UP (-8°C yesterday evening).

And I can look at it with a benevolent eye because in a few days I'll be in Sydney, where the current temp is around 30°C !
Things are getting hectic as the departure date approaches as I need to figure out how to get my tools, camping gear and assorted personal effects within airline weight limits... maybe if I don't take any clothes ?

On the work front, I've taught a number of classes that went very well recently, ranging from Beginning beadmaking to off-mandrel glass rings and blowing at the torch. And I've come up with an idea for a new series of sculptural beads, once again combining a bead basis with scultural elements. I made one that I was really happy with... until I dropped it in the sink together with what was in the kiln that day, forgetting that there was one that was fragile. So no pics yet, hopefully I'll be able to make one before I leave that I can show !

Cours à venir

Quelques cours de perfectionnement auront lieu dans mon atelier de Lausanne dans les semaines à venir. Next classes:

- 24 octobre : Utilisation des couleurs / Use of colors.
Comprendre les couleurs et comment les utiliser pour donner du punch à vos perles et en créer de nouvelles.

- 19 novembre: Boules de Noël soufflées (il reste 1 place) / Blown Christmas ornaments (1 spot left)
Initiation au soufflage au chalumeau selon la technique Vénitienne


- 14 décembre: Bagues en verre / Glass rings
Bagues sur et hors mandrin

Tous les détails sur mon site.

Is this your real job ?

I know I should be immune to it by now but I still find it amazing how people cannot conceive beadmaking as a *real* job. A new student asked me today if I worked every day. I guess she meant whether I came to the studio every day but I was feeling contrary so I answered that yes I did work every day but not always at the studio.

She wisely decided to leave it at that but it reminded me of two things: first, which will not come as a surprise to my fellow craftspeople, that there is much more work involved than sitting at the torch making beads if you need to make a living out of it; second, that even people who know me well and know that this is my only income cannot really take my job seriously, mostly because a serious job cannot be fun... not that is it so all the time either, would be more so if I could actually spend more time melting glass. Or that it must be easy and they will do the same, take a 2 days class, make beads and sell them at the Saturday morning market .

What that says about our society I leave you to work out for yourself, but there was even a crafts show promoter that was quoted in the local paper saying that the sellers were all grannies who worked in their kitchens or bored housewifes who had to fill in the hours before their husbands came home... needless to say that I boycotted that show from that point on. And even a good friend whose company I valued much as being the only time I could talk of something else than work once told me she was disappointed that we didn't talk glass technique more. We had met as she came to take a class with me and expected me to be on teaching mode even in my time off.

Oh well...

Forced respite

Since my back doesn't allow me to work these days, lets talk about something else... like food for example. It's amazing how your mind turns to food when you have to lie down all day ! Especially since half the shows on TV seem to be about cooking these days, all the more frustrating since 99% of it refers to recipes I cannot try. There was one on madeleines the other day that brought water to my mouth so I decided to try out some gluten-free recipes to compensate... and the first try was EXCELLENT so I can't resist showing them off :)



It's really a cross between muffins and madeleines, made with rice flour and honey. Let me know if anyone is interested in the recipe. I adapted one that I found online, it's amazing the number of blogs around that give gluten-free recipes. And the great news is that I will be able to carry with me my own delicious cakes while travelling around the world. It's hard to keep to your diet when you go hungry on the road and all you see are mouth-watering sweets... and when I give up I always pay for it pretty quickly.

A little humour

This blog needs a humour subsection... so thanks to the person who made me discover the Washington Post Mensa invitational... Excellent ! Désolée pour les francophones, c'est intraduisible !