So in case you were wondering, this is what a cactus looks like before I make it! Look at all those pretty colours! This is my set up for the hot box. From here they ramp up to around 500 degrees, then I can pick them up on the end of my pipe and pop a bub into them. From here I take gathers of glass to make the form bigger. The colour which comes in rods is like pure colour or concentrated colour. So a little bit can go a long way. These are the colours I used yesterday, so maybe tomorrow I will have some pics for you. 
This is how I spend my time in the studio... make a cup of tea, start mixing the plaster mix, add pigment, let tea go cold, add some rocks, wait for the mix to go off (impatiently...) realise that my tea has gone cold, curse, heat tea in microwave, pot cacti and voila!!
Its fun gardening in the studio. I especially like making the succulents but as I forgot yesterday, you have to be patient!! Let the mix go off and don't rush it. I had to be downstairs to blow glass yet I was upstairs trying to grow a succulent. As a result the large guy might look a little flat, but i thought it was a good composition so i left it.
Huzzah for me.
This is where it all begins... maybe I will take some more step by step photos for you? I would like to take some in the hot shop for you then you can see the process. But maybe this is just interesting for me? Maybe I can wrangle a friend to play photographer for me?... gotta go water my plants, see ya!
I have been a busy bee! In the studio every day this week, on the glass, in the mix! What a rollercoaster let me tell you... the highs, the lows and the inbetweens! I think though that all in all, it has been a fantastic experience and I am already looking forward to next week. It is just such an amazing opportunity to be making every day and i am extremely grateful for this chance to work with the Jam again.
So let me break it down for ya... the first few sessions were ridiculously productive! I couldn't believe that by the end of session 2, it looked just like my drawing!! Amazing. But wait, don't get too excited, then I hit a wall and couldn't seem to replicate it. It made no sense, I did'nt know what i was doing wrong and it was messing with my head. 
The next session I decided to throw some colour in the mix and really had the same problem. I had no choice but to push through. During prototyping my own work I was also working with the associates on their own work and working for Ruth in the evenings. To say I was tired was an understatement. Mentally and physically exhausted. Thursday night had me laughing uncontrollably, borderline hysterically because I saw a mouse 'amble' through the living room... can you detect my state of mind?
So lets face it, it was the end of the week and I really didn't hold much faith in Friday's session. But there I was. So I did what any respectable artist would do, I steeled my nerves, chugged a red bull and had a shot of cement. In other words I told myself to harden the flip up and get on with the job. You know what it worked. By the end of the session I got the illusive perfect pop.
As you can see with these vessels there is an extra mouth. To achieve this I make the shape, transfer to punty then spot heat and pop the bub with the sophie externally. The problem with this is that it is so unpredictable. Somehow I had to learn and find the common thread, find the pattern in the random so to speak. It's a fine line of understanding the material, alowing t to do what it wants to do, but having the foresight to control it. You control the glass, not the other way round.
And there it is. Glass blowing never ceases to amaze me. You can be totally prepared, mentally and physically then have the worst session of your life and wonder what the hell happened t all that intensive training you went through. Then the next instance, you can be at the end of your tether, body hurting, exhaustion setting in, resorting to energy drinks to keep your eyes open, and bam! You nail it. Amazing.
I have really enjoyed working with the associates too. Each of them is so different and is trying to attain different things. It's great. I get to talk about everything from design to manufacture, we nut things out, we help each other out.
At the moment I am very happy with where the work is heading, and feel that my skill level is getting better everyday. I go to bed thinking about what I will make the next day and keep myself awake thinking about the possibilities! Get some sleep already!!
Lookit, these two are taking to each other. The tall needs the small to survive. An impractical design or criminal genius? You be the judge.. x
Welcome to my new nest!! This is my temporary new home for the next two weeks. As you can see, I have already made myself at home..
These are the colours I think I will be going for.
This was one of my first attempts to replicate my design sketches. It looks just like the picture!! Very happy with this for a first attempts. Using the hot torch to pop another hole.
These wonky lil family are the results from session one.
I really like the simplicity and lines of the arrangement in the vessel.
Clear glass is difficult to photograph, so it's a bit difficult to see whats going on here. (trust me, it's lokin goooood!) The proteas make for nice strong stems.
These are just some arrangements in old vessels. 
Hey look it's Ruth! Hard at work layin mosaics of course.
Today I took the Jam kids up to Mt. Lofty Botanic gardens for some inspiration. These pictures are just a snippet of what we saw. The colours are in full flight, a riot of colour if you will. I thought it might be nice to get them out of the studio and into the fresh air. It always helps me. Colour is a big part of all my inspirations. I am a fiend for it you could say. Colour has the ability to change your mood, the atmosphere, it can dictate your choices, it is everywhere. Colour should not be underestimated. Such a powerful force, sometimes can go under the radar when you are designing. 
Was a beautiful crisp morning. Blue skies, dew still on the grass. A good day for taking in the sights.
In other news, I have been on the glass everyday!! In the studio and getting to blow glass everyday, it's so exciting. I am feeling inspired and I am really enjoying the freedom to prototype. Ruth is also over to make some work of her own so we are doing a couple of trades to help each other out. So far the prototype have been great and already I am getting some satisfying results. Doing some crazy stuff, poppin holes and what not! Will have some more pics to show you soon, didn't want to overload you! (I had more autumn shots, this was me being restrained..)
I think this is my shot of the day with the lovely Dani in front.
Although, this peachy number is pretty nice...
Lookit! A birthday present for a soon to be mama...
Some fresh blooms for inspiration. On Monday I will begin my two week residency at the Jam. Am super excited and ready to throw myself in 100%, give it all I gots and see what comes out the other side. (I am secretly hoping for something AMAZING!!) Today is my last day of work for Borders. We are closing down. It has been a real rollercoaster, full of highs and lows, tears, hilarity, rude customers beyond belief, heart warming individuals and a whole heap of amazing books. Now, finally I think I am able to take the positive from the negative. 
A two week residency to kick things off, then I have decided to take the next month to concentrate solely on glass. I have 3 exhibitions coming up, orders to fill and I am going to use this precious time to, ahem, take over the world. Yeah! You herd me! Take over the mother flippin world!! Sure money may be an issue, but sometimes you just gotta jump right? Take risks, take over the world. Sounds about right.
Look at these crazy guys. Tulips wanting to escape and do their evil bidding no doubt. That's why I gots to keep them contained , who knows what they would get up to if I gave them half the chance?..
Oh! and look what I got i the mail!! This awesome handmade pendant in the mail!! I bought it from etsy from the amazing seller Cat Rabbit. This is one seriously talented lady. Check her out she makes fantastic critters.
Dodgy picture of me wearing my new necklace. I am proud as punch, no?
Listening to my faaaaavourite records, Devo, live recording and Good Morning Vietnam. Also some Stevie Wonder, Talking Book. Finally figured out how to turn on the decks. We've only lived here a year and a half, sheesh.
And at some point I inted to turn these awesome fabrics into a quilt! How good is the octopus one? Last weekend I popped into the Bower Bird market at met the lovely ladies from Ink and Spindle. They make such great textiles, I couldn't help myself. (Also bought a ...baby blanket, eep! I couldn't help myself!!)
Welcome to Lobe! This is my mentor, Ruth Allen's studio. I went over at Easter to check it out and man, oh man, it is G.O.R.G.E.O.U.S. Ruth and her partner have done so much work to create this amazing workshop that it kind of blows my mind if I start thinking too hard about it all.
So, Lobe is set in deep Coburg. Actually kinda Coburg-industrial town. There is all sorts of interesting stuff going on in their street, not to mention an awesome fish monger across the street. So to combat the loud street, ruth has created a little green oasis in their front yard.
This is one of ruth's large wall installations. How nice to have a big, beautiful white wall to do test runs on.
This is the inside.
This is the beginnings of a bigger glory hole.
These are Ruth's production. She cuts up beer bottles, picks them up hot, then makes them into beer glasses. Talk about your recycling! It's also fun to get the stock up...
This is the baby gloryhole! Great for making beer glasses.
Such a beautiful and inspiring studio. I really like hanging out there and can't wait to go back.
So I'm thinking I would like to enter the Waterhouse prize this year. The Waterhouse is Australia's richest prize for natural history art. It's a great opportunity to get your work out there, in with a mixed bag of other artists. I heard they are kind of 'conservative' in their choices, but hey, this is the work I make! You either like it or you don't. I like it, maybe you do too? Or maybe you think it is the most hideous thing you have seen this year (I hope not).
Exciting times are on the way. Yes sir, I can feel it. Life has been a little rocky lately, to say the least... and lets face it, I am not out of the woods yet. Facing the cold harsh face of unemployment, which seems to funnily enough to have its head firmly attached to the neck of "pay the rent", which you will see travels on to the shoulders of "what will I eat", and only to firmly plonk itself onto the belly of "depression"....(that was a little dramatic, forgive me) anyway, where was I? Oh yes, the no job thing! My last day of work will be next Saturday. I am sad, fearful and relieved all at the same time. I actually really like my job and think that I am quite good at it. I really enjoy being able to recommend books for customers and try to find ones which suit their tastes. I got to meet some great people and I got to deal with some real jerks. I really liked all the team of staff and had some great managers to work for. I am sad to not be apart of that team anymore.
Dear Autumn, I love you. I love you so much, I wish it was Autumn all year round. If I were a billionaire (or oil tycoon, its like chose your own adventure, which ever one works best for you,) I would travel the world, blowing glass and chasing Autumn. I would live in Autumn all year round. Seasonably mild. Yes sir. Best type of weather for blowing glass, sipping wine and watching the leaves turn. Also good for cooking extravaganzas in the kitchen, dressing in layers and makes pale skin look awesome. Its win, win.... for me, anyways.
I mean look at this, grey skies, golden leaves, whats not to love. Today we took a drive up to Mt. Lofty Botanic gardens. Sure, we got lost along the way, maybe we got there at 4 o'clock and the park shuts at 5, but hey, we saw some colours! 
I kind of wanted to go to check it out because in a couple of weeks, I will be taking the associates for a design project. I thought it would be nice to get them out of the studio and get them thinking on a different level. For me personally, I take a lot from nature (sorry mother nature, I'm like the bandit who steals all your good ideas and passes them off as my own) and I was hoping they might find some inspiration too. 
Its hard work being an associate and the time for reflection or fresh inspiration can be rare. Its real easy to get bogged down in technique and trying to perfect that elusive perfect tumbler, so to speak. It's easy to forget that glass can be beautiful and fluid, craving movement and spontaneous action. It's not all goblet making and skittles, so to speak.
I gots a lot of work to do. I gots alot of decisions to make. It's crunch time, so to speak.
Anyways, I love you Autumn. You are my favourite. Summer is for jerks in bikinis. I am a pale skinned giant who likes layers, changing leaves and Autumn months.