Spilt
This was a very fun piece to work on. I had some mugs lying around which I cut in half with a wet saw. The buttons were also lying around and I always wanted to experiment with what I could do with them. There are also some glass gems in there.
The piece is 12 x 16 in. ( ~30 x 40 cm.).
Living near the ocean, we are always seeing and hearing of stories of people who have either found a message in a bottle or have had one of their messages found on the other side of the Atlantic. Sometimes it takes years before they are discovered. They always make for interesting stories. This inspired me to make this piece.
It is mostly vitreous and stained glass. There is some smalti in there as well as some found objects. The bottle has a message in it too, but I’m not saying what it is.
The pieces is 24 x 18 in. ( 61 x 46 cm.) and it is currently available.
Bell Island requires a ferry ride in order to visit. It is a very beautiful place. From the ferry one only gets a glimpse of the marvellous scenery and coastline. That inspired me to do just that – a glimpse. Doing cliffs and water with stained glass and smalti offers real challenges. 9.5 x 60 cm.
Among the Ballicaters
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are a bit different. We have our own dictionary of English which contains quite a few words that are just our own. Ballicaters, being one such word, are defined as “Ice formed by the action in winter of spray and waves along the shore-line, making a fringe or band on the landward side”. We have many pronunciations and spellings for that very same word.
I wanted to do some ballicatters and chose to challenge myself to seeing them from the perspective of a hunting bald eagle.
I wanted to get a bit of detail into the eagle, so I used a diamond bit engraver to create some feather details in it’s body and wings.
Eagle detail
Stained and clear glass, smalti and pebbles. 51×40 cm.
Iced In
When the wind blows the ice onto the land. This piece is 8 x 10 inches ( approx 20 x 25 cm) and is made with smalti, stained glass, pebbles and some wire.
Stargazer
In 2014 I participated in an exhibition centred on the theme of caribou. Caribou have a special place in the heritage Newfoundland and Labrador. I wished to depict a little known part of the life history of caribou.. when the velvet is shed from their antlers. At this time many blood vessels remain exposed and give a very red appearance to the antler. This gradually fades to the bone like substance with which we are familiar. I have also always wondered how animals react at night to a star filled sky, so that is where I put this animal.
The very moving lyrics of Stan Rogers’ song ‘Make and Break Harbour’ was the inspiration for this piece. Many of our small communities are now abandoned and just dying beside the water.
20 x 25 cm. Stained glass, smalti, pebbles, polymer clay, twine.
A fact of life for a fisher person is that he or she gets up early to go out on the water. The light comes on only for a while and then they are gone.
20 x 25 cm. Smalti, stained glass and pebbles.
2014 was an incredible year for iceberg watchers here in Newfoundland and Labrador. The bergs are very majestic and inspirational. I am captivated by how light reflects from them. This piece is made from stained glass and a few bits of dichroic glass. The water is hand painted clear glass. It is 35 x 42 cm. in size.
This piece was inspired by a cove which is located very near to where I live. On a windy day the waves work their wonders on the rocks and cliffs there. This piece is made with smalti, stained glass, glass pebbles, real pebbles and sandstone. 40 cm h x 30 cm w (16 in h x 12 in w).