White Rock Lake Garden & Artisans Tour - Hearts afire

Hearts will be growing all around my studio during the White Rock Lake Artists' Studio Tour. I'm in a heart mood. I'm bending thin rods and casting colored glass inside. Not just red but lots of colors. For sale during the tour.

Bob had a great idea. Make some more metal hearts, cast them and weld them to a rod. Call them "Lottie Pops". Pretty cool, huh? My Mom always said, "Lottie Kate, if you can't be smart, marry smart." Well, I was smart enough to do that. I'll post pictures of Lottie Pops as soon as I make them. Hope they look good enough to eat.

Don't miss the White Rock Lake Artists' Studio Tour, Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18.

Field trip

Juli called around 11:30 today when The Young and The Restless was on and I was on hold with yet another social security person for Mom. The recording told me I had a 24 minute wait, so I hung up when I saw it was Juli. She said, "Field Trip". I said, "I have color on my roots, give me 15 minutes." She and Barbara showed up in 14 minutes to critique the color. They approved maroon. Missed the end of The Young and The Restless.

Barbara drove, Juli navigated. I sat in the back and tried to hang on, not easy even with my seat belt clicked. We got lost, but thank goodness did not end up in Oklahoma like last field trip. We were lost somewhere in Oak Cliff. Finally found the place amid many phone calls, 3 conversations going on at once and me falling out of my seat, again with seat belt clicked.

We went to this place that makes styrofoam, cuts them into beautiful shapes and then coats it with something so hard you can mosaic on it. We were like kids in a candy store. Barbara and I were rolling in it. So much fun I forgot to take pictures. Here's three pieces they gave me. They gave me more, but Barbara wouldn't let the rest out of her car when we got to my house. We had so many big pieces, I was wedged in my car seat on the way home and didn't fall out even when Barbara ran over a curb, twice. There's always an upside to a story.

We will be carving and playing with these pieces and then back to where ever this place is, whatever the name is and have them coated. Seriously cool. They are going back Friday and I'll get them to take pictures. I can't go, my bum still hurts from when I fell off my car seat.

White Rock Lake Artists' Studio Tour

Saturday and Sunday, October 16 and 17, don't miss this great tour. I'd love to show how I weld my hearts and stars during the tour, but I'd put someone's eyes out. I'm going to have some hearts and stars ready go in the kiln to show how I cast the glass. Virginia is selling me glass from her new venture www.PegaisusArt.com and I can run over and get glass (and lots of advice from a pro). I'm inspired this year. Don't miss this wonderful FREE tour with 44 artists showing their studios and how they make their art.

PS. Ran to get my camera today, but I was too late. A tiny little toad came to visit while I was cutting glass. I love these guys. (do worry I'll step on one, would never get over that "squish")

Toad rustling

In August 2000 we inherited Bob's aunt and uncle's blue Australian Shepard. His name was Blue, of course, and he was the best. We walked him every night at 10:00 and more often than not there would be a toad in the road. For a while I picked them up and put them in the grass. Then I started carrying them home. They always peed in my hand. Never got a wart, thank goodness. I still bring them home and put them in the back yard. One would think I'd never have another mosquito. Think again.

I've been welding stars. Before I grind them clean I quench them in this quenching tub. Wasn't looking when I put a star in today and there was this little toad swimming in my tub. I don't know who was more afraid when the star touched the water and sizzled. We both jumped.

To apologize, I grabbed the toad and put him on this water bucket. He stayed there so long, must have been traumatized. When I took his picture he decided this was the last indignity and jumped away, hopefully to have a nice meal of mosquitoes.

I've continued the tradition with the BlackJack walks. The skin on my left hand (the toad carrying hand) is yellowish compared to the right. But the toads that use to be in the road are safe in my back yard.

Cast Glass

Chapters in Welding

Cast glass is the theme for me this year at the Friends of Lottie Sculpture Garden during the State Fair of Texas and the White Rock Lake Artist Studio Tour. The 4 stars shown are attached to a big star to be installed in the museum fountain across from the Old Mill Restaurant. I'll also have a cast glass star mobile Delbert made the base for.

Virginia and Peggy have opened Pegasius Art a wonderful place to buy fused glass and she's here in East Dallas. The beauty being able to buy from Virginia and Peggy is you can buy what you need at the time.

Can't do anything outside today with this wonderful rain, but tomorrow I'll have pictures of hearts I've been making for the White Rock Lake Artists' Studio Tour along with some other fun things.

The White Rock Lake Artists' Studio Tour is Saturday and Sunday, October 16 and 17.

Goodbye Ms. Stearns

Today at noon we attend Ms. Stearns memorial service. She lost her fight to cancer early Monday morning. Along with Debbie's Angel Army (girlfriends who were there for her) I will miss her terribly. While helping her these last few weeks I was working on this heart. I kept thinking how Debbie was twisting and fragmenting away from us. The heart seems to turn sideways with the metal and fragment down with the glass. Delbert gave me the most wonderful base. Working on the heart helped me work through my sorrow.

Now her heart is restored. God speed Dear Debra, and wings of angels take thee to thy rest. Love always, Lottie

Chapters in Metal, #5

It's been too long since I've written. Been outside frying my brain for glass stars. The stars on the left hanging are part of a mobile. The mobile part was OK, but oh my the base. Finally, Delbert came to my rescue. He took the base I was going to use (that I can't move, lift or shove) and he's going to add curved rods on it and from there these stars will hang. Thank you, Delbert. This would have been a no piece without you.

Tomorrow I will be welding the outline of a star for the glass stars on the table to hang on to. Probably won't be a nice little rain shower like we had today.

Here's the big secret. The State Fair is going to select some sculptures for BIG TEX CIRCLE!!!! I'm so hoping to get one of my pieces selected. So I'm making several. Worth having my brain fried in this heat. No gallery would be as exciting for this old amusement park girl as having a piece of mine displayed in BIG TEX CIRCLE. Can you imagine, during the Fair at night when all the people go home, a sculpture I made could be having midnight conversations with Big Tex. How cool would that be????????????

If you haven't already read my article in Examiner.com about the Red Bull art show at Galleria Dallas, that's the Galleria's new name.