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I love to experiment and I enjoy explaining the materials and the processes that go into my art.  Mine is an ongoing and fluctuating procedure from the moment I get the first inspiration.  To illustrate, I will share a couple of my experiences in the construction of my signature work, Pretty Peacock, which is still my favorite piece to date.  I especially like this work because it was created before I acquired a larger kiln and each part of the resulting 20” piece had to fit onto the seven-inch shelf of my jewelry kiln.  This created numerous and enjoyable puzzles for me to solve.

For me, the planning is the most fun part of the process for any project.  I must attempt to predict how the glass and other materials will react when fired and try to determine how many layers I need and how to stack the glass to get the affect that I am after.

My vision of how I wanted the feathers on Pretty Peacock is an example of this challenge.  I experimented with a few combinations of enamel, mica and foils which eventually lead to the design that I ultimately used. 

One of the conclusions I came to in that process was that I needed to use a flat metal for the background behind the “eye” of the feather.  I had already discovered from other projects that my preferred choice of copper would burn and turn black at the required firing temperatures.  To avoid this problem, boric acid was recommended.  I tried this, but the result was blotchy and unpredictable.

On a hunch, I decided to try a product called Clear Coat Overglaze, a substance generally used to insure a glossy surface to Kiln Fired glass.  Surprisingly, this not only worked, but tuned the copper into a very desirable shade of red.  I was very pleased with this outcome.

 I have never before seen this product recommended to prevent the blackening of copper, but it worked well for me and I will continue to try it in other applications. 

It is gratifying to see hours of work come together to a pleasing conclusion, but not everything will just fall into place. Even with the best of planning and numerous experiments, often the components will come out of the kiln with unexpected and unwanted results.  I may have to revisit the planning, experimentation and even the inspiration stages of the construction.  If all the elements do not work in the execution, I may have to throw them out and rethink a portion or even the whole project.  Certain pieces may be missing, and I may have to create details I had not foreseen.

This sometimes turns out to be a blessing.  And I had several “blessings” with Pretty Peacock.  For instance, his eye originally turned out to be a sad disappointment, with no expression at all. To repair this, I added eyelashes and other elements which, to me, made the work come to life.

From these experiences I am learning to listen to that inner voice.  Often that little wisper reveals that I have not paid enough attention to a certain detail. Rather than discarding the project or settling for it the way it is, I turn my attention to my inner guide for ways to make it better.