California Meets Texas 2009

Starting a new fused glass commissioned piece for a couple living in California. Wife is from Texas and they want something that speaks to both their histories.
Final size is 18” tall x 48” wide.

DAY ONE...
Client is looking for a piece combining California Poppies and Texas Blue Bonnets.
That, the size and a few color specs (more yellow than orange in the poppies) are what I have to go on.  I start with some photos.

DAY TWO...
I create a computer composite and after emailing 3 versions, the client and I settle on this.

DAY THREE...
Creating a sample...... Because it’s such a huge leap from computer to fused glass, I create a sample piece. A small sample will be sent to the client for color verification. The glass color pallet is somewhat limited but can be “enhanced” with layers of transparent frit.

DAY FOUR...
ABOVE:  Just “fritting around”! The background is colored frit, opaque and transparent layered on an opal green glass.  I love this part because it’s like painting!  You can see the printed out “swatch of the composite beside the glass work.

BELOW: Completed, unfired sample ready for the kiln. Tomorrow we’ll see how successful I am at creating California Poppies and Texas Blue Bonnets.  It’s tricky because many of the glasses are “striking colors”.  That means the color does not mature fully until fired.

DAY FIVE....

Out of the kiln......see a couple of problems:
1.Think the yellow is being grayed down by the underlaying green opal glass.  I will try one sample on white.
2.Think I need a mid range blue and more purple
3.Need larger pieces in the mid ground area.  Will send small sample to client after I try it on white background.

DESIGN HAS BEEN APPROVED...

Sample on white background is much brighter and client is happy. Now to create the final piece.

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FINAL DAYS....
Working on final piece.  Like painting with glass!

IT’S FINISHED!!!! Now to send off to California! Go UPS!

Full size....















and the close up....

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Installation complete!

CLIENT TESTIMONIAL

              “I first saw Anne’s glass “paintings” when my wife and I visited Omaha for the Berkshire-Hathaway annual meeting.  Anne was present in the gallery and I asked for her card.  From that point on all our communication was via internet.

          I saw other work of hers I liked on her website.  The “California Poppies & Texas Bluebonnets” theme was my simple idea – my wife is from Texas, I’m from California – and Anne did the rest, sending me images to look at via e-mail, and later, two example tiles, via US mail.

When the full-size piece was done, it came by UPS, secure in a crate.  The mounting brackets Anne sent were easy to use, and in an hour it was on our wall.  And it looks great!”

Proudly handmade in the USA

•All images copyright protected ©Anne Nye 2003. All rights reserved.

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