Saturday, December 31, 2011

Musings on 2012

As I think about New Year's Eve and the prospect of 2012, I can't help but think about this past year.

All in all, it has been a pretty good year for me. 

Mostly, making beads and playing in the kitchen. 

Here are a few photos from this pasts year:

The Ottoman bead changed it's shape into a teardrop and was renamed Bakbuk (Hebrew for bottle).  This gave me lots more room to play and the need to be symetrical from end to end was cast aside.

These are a from a series of pictures taken of a great set of five Ottoman beads I entered into the Bead Dreams contest (Bead and Button).  Much to my disappointment I did not get into the final selection.  I am not going to be discouraged and am already planning for the 2012 Bead Dreams Contest. 


This is Beatrice Birdie.  She was also entered into a contest - this one through the ISGB.  She actually came in first place!  Whooo hooo for Beatrice.  I was the ecstatic winner of a brand new kiln, which is happily set up in my studio now. 

Still making the birdies.  This one is staying with me, though I will be teaching a class on this very bead at Bead and Button this year.  Click here for the details.


This picture was taken at the Flame Run Gallery in Louisville, Kentucky as part of the Surfact Exhibit.  ISGB puts on the best glass bead shows!  I was honoured to have my bead chosen.  I was even more excited to discover that the ISGB chose an image of this very bead for some of their advertising. 


The highlight of my year had to be teaching at Red Deer College, in Red Deer Alberta.  It was not exactly warm the week I was there, but we kept those torches burning hot and I had the best time.  It was amazing to spend five days with a group of inspiring students and share my love for making glass beads.  I am hoping to do it again.  Perhaps the summer of 2013 - time will tell. 

Had a great deal of fun making some beads from a popular iphone game. 

The latest series of work are Round Ottomans - now in colour!  Not that the Ottomans were ever really in black and white, but I always seemed to stick to mostly one colour (well two if you count the base colour).  I am branching out and having tons of fun with them.

That is my 2011 in beads.  Fun to reflect on the past year as I plan for the next one.  I start 2012 by taking a class at Corning with Lucio Bubaco and Paul Stankard.  I am so pumped I can't begin to tell you.  There is so much to learn about glass that I don't think I will ever have enough time to do it all, but a girl can try.

Hope 2012 is a good year.  Happy New Year to all. 

1 comment:

  1. It's fun to see your Ottomans evolve Amy, I am always inspired by the precision in them. Thanks for giving me an idea for my next blog post -- I like the idea of the year in review, I was a hopeless blogger last year and hope to do better in 2012.

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