Cool but not Cold

Blue Forest,  7"x 21" kiln-formed glass.  $595 includes stand
Kelly Crosser Alge 2014.
Available for sale in my Daily Paintworks Gallery

I've enjoyed this winter, believe it or not.

Really, I'm not at all a fan of cold, snow, gloomy gray skies, shoveling, slipping on ice, gloves, or cold wet shoes… and this was likely not the best winter to have the heater in my studio croak. 

This Winter gets a trophy.  It has made a valiant effort to keep it's snow on the ground the entire season.  While it has been nice and bright outside,  and it has entertained us with all of its school cancellations and record setting, It is time to say "SAYO-NARA to SNOW".

Parking lot piles and shady pockets of it are still lingering outside, but I trust that Spring will be spreading her dandelions soon.  Plus, the buzzards came back this week.  I like dandelions and buzzards.

I have enjoyed being trapped inside, and it feels like I've had more time.  Time with my family,  time playing in the studio, more time thinking…  I'm appreciative of the time without distractions from outdoors.  It's been quieter and more peaceful around here (aside from school cancellation days, of course).  I don't think I ever thought about that during other winters. 

God said "Be still, and know that I am God".  Being still physically is nearly impossible for me, but after this winter my spirit feels refreshed. 

The glass piece above is about quiet peace, stillness. Cool but not cold.  

Water and Winter (and a chance to win each month for a year!)

Winter Water Tower, Chicago
Fused Glass Sgraffito 'Frit Painting'

For today, January 14, 2014~ 
This is a piece I've been working on over the past week.  It's out of the kiln for the third time, and I still haven't decided whether or not it's finished.  All artists struggle with this indecision, but when we each make the final approval of our work, we sign our name to the piece and call it 'finished'.

That's a problem, because the odd thing about glass sgraffito drawing is that it is necessary to sign your piece in the powdered glass before it ever goes into the kiln.  What? 

It does feel a little disconcerting to be signing a piece that's barely begun, but I think it's far more beautiful to sign it in the glass itself than to skid across it with a Dremel tool later.  

So what happens to the pieces that get signed and end up in the junk pile?  People seem to want to know... so here's the answer.  The signature gets smashed off, and the piece 'goes to pieces' to make better things :)
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Don't forget to add your comments for a chance to win one of my glass pendants every month for 2014!

Here is all you need to do:

Please tell me your pet peeves, complaints, and 

irritations surrounding the subject of WATER.

Enter your response  in the "Comments Box" at the end of the post. 

Then, on the right side of this post, click on either 

"follow by email" or "subscribe to posts"

Pretty simple, no?
You'll get one entry per unique response between now and next Sunday, 1/19 at midnight.

Be sure to tell any friends that subscribe to add your name to the end of their comment, because you'll get extra credit for their entry.

Best to you all, I can't wait to tell you about the project!!