Summer Sizzles

I love summer. Everyone has a more relaxed attitude, me included. You can’t take work too seriously when people are constantly going in different directions. It’s inevitable; vacations interrupt flow and blur deadlines. On the flip-side, the extra time gives me a much needed break to create for myself.

This time of year, when the beauty of nature is plentiful, I like to take a more laid-back approach to my crafting. Rather than plan everything out in advance, I let my artwork evolve spontaneously as I go along. The design direction might be driven by any number of things such as nature, the finished artwork’s purpose or the materials I have on-hand.

This back-to-basics frame of mind is wonderful when it comes to making all those fun and funky, yard-art projects that we love. I’m using this approach to make candle shelters for the lanai and mosaic stepping stones for the garden.

Try it for yourself. Glue fused glass elements to terra cotta pots or decorate a wooden birdhouse with a shinny glass mosaic. Colorful, three-dimensional plant stakes are always a big hit. Let your imagination run wild.

Happy crafting,

Lisa

Summer Sale SAVE $100.00!

Fused Vessel Sinks and More

Sept. 24-27, 2013

4-Day, hands-on workshop

Register for the September class by July 15, 2013 and save $100.00! 

Only two seats left!

 Register online at www.LisaVogt.net

Now on YouTube

Lisa Vogt Glass Artist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhOifd7wukk



Spark of Imagination

 

Old Glory

Summer is officially here. The kids are out of school, schedules are more relaxed and back yard barbeques are a nightly treat. No doubt your calendar is quickly filling, like mine, with family get-togethers and vacation plans. With so many social demands and activities it’s difficult to find time to be creative and make cool projects. But don’t worry; I’ve come up with a sure-fire way for you to get quality time in your glass studio. With Independence Day right around the corner, a holiday themed piece is your ticket to freedom. This patriotic plate is quick, easy and fun to make. The project in the photo is 7” x 14”, but the design can easily be adapted to a smaller size rectangle or a square.

Old Glory

Plate 7” x 14”

Base layer: clear

Design layer: red, white, blue and clear

Cut base layer to size. Cut design layer, stack on top of the base layer.

Fire to a full fuse temperature. Slump on shallow mold. 

 

Red, White and Blue

Find more holiday themed projects like this in my book.

FireWorks Fun and Festive Fusing by Lisa Vogt

Available at your local art glass supplier,

from CKE Publications and Amazon

Happy fusing,

Lisa

Now on YouTube

Lisa Vogt Glass Artist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhOifd7wukk

Only two seats left in the September class!

Fused Vessel Sinks and More

4-Day, hands-on workshop

Class size is limited to four.

Register online at www.LisaVogt.net

Sept. 24-27, 2013

Jan. 28-31, 2014

Feb. 18-21, 2014

My Dad

When I was five, my parents bought a wooded acre nestled in the Adirondack Mountains in New York State. The lot was your basic secluded, pine covered tract. What made our lot special was the ten foot wide right-of-way a mile down the road that came with it. That narrow strip of land gave us beach access to the twenty seven mile long lake across the street.

My Dad was a high school Industrial Arts teacher and very handy with tools. That first summer we owned the property we camped in a tent at a nearby camp-ground while my dad, my two older brothers and I built our cabin.

Mom stayed back home in NJ most of that summer to tackle her own projects that were easier done without three kids. Dad kept us busy. My brothers and I only missed Mom at dinner time. Dad was good at a lot of things, but cooking wasn’t one of them. His idea of dinner was Dinty Moore Stew heated in the can on the camp fire grate. And since no one wanted to do dishes, we ate the stew out of the can. Occasionally, Dad would shake it up and serve baked beans instead. It was a small tent for four people. On baked bean nights, it was significantly smaller.  

Working on a shoe-string budget, and out of a Ford Station Wagon meant we had to build the cabin in stages. Building supplies were purchased from discount suppliers a little at a time. We made frequent runs to the lumber yard.

I was only five, yet I vividly remember the day we nailed the plywood subfloor to the beams below; I knelt on the plywood next to Dad. He showed me how to hold a hammer. He showed me how to hold a nail. He showed me how to hit the nail and sink it through the plywood into the beam below. My brothers didn’t think I could do it, but Dad ignored their snide remarks. When I bent the nails, and I bent a lot, he showed me how to use the claw of the hammer to pull them up and then how to hit the crooked nails at the right angle to make them work. Shortly after, he left me alone with the hammer, a chalk line to follow and a paper bag of nails.

You wouldn’t think such a small event would shape a person. But it did. I have my dad to thank for my craftiness, my enthusiasm to try new things and my everlasting optimism.

Here’s to all Dads who give in small ways that make a big difference.

Happy Father’s Day!

Lisa

Nurture Your Creativity

 There’s no time like the present to plan a creative retreat. Let’s face it, when you’re in that inspired zone nothing else matters. You’re stress free, happy. It’s important to set time aside for yourself to invigorate your spirit and revitalize your soul. Though it may seem selfish, it makes you a better person-kinder to yourself and inspiring to others. In the end, everyone benefits.

Hope to see you in September!

Fused Vessel Sink 4-Day Workshop

Instructor Lisa Vogt

September 24-27, 2013

4 Full days, advanced technique, hands-on, all skill levels

Wesley Chapel, Florida

Class meets daily 10:00 – 4:00

4 students

Contact Lisa@LisaVogt.net

“It’s hard core fusing with a casual atmosphere.”

Kiln-formed sinks are the hottest functional art glass topic today!  In this class Lisa will teach you the many advanced techniques used to make these lavish basins.  She’ll cover the many processes used to create large vessels, concepts for design and color selection, plus much more. 

Day 1: You’ll cut glass for a sink or large vessel and load it in a kiln to fuse. 

Day 2:  You’ll play like crazy making projects of your choice. Subjects might include: custom molds, combing, working with dichroic glass, pot melts.  Plus you’ll load the fused glass into the sink slumping mold.

Day 3: Play some more while the sinks cool.

Day 4: We go over all the firing programs used in class in detail.  Drain holes are drilled; finishing techniques are covered, followed by a question and answer session.

Beginner and advanced students alike will gain valuable knowledge that they can apply immediately to push their work to an exciting, new level of sophistication. Each student will leave class with several projects, a large vessel, process outlines and the technical information needed to fire at home.  With the professional tricks and secrets revealed, you will be ready to dive in and take the fused sink plunge!

Change begins with you,  

Lisa

Now on YouTube

Lisa Vogt Glass Artist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhOifd7wukk

Fused Vessel Sinks and More

4-Day, hands-on workshop

Class size is limited to four.

Register online at www.LisaVogt.net

Sept. 24-27, 2013

Jan. 28-31, 2014

Feb. 18-21, 2014

Amazing Art

After years of teaching sink classes you’d think it would get old, but that’s the farthest thing from the truth. The student’s dedication to learning and making stylish, well-designed quality artwork continues to impress me. And this month’s group was no exception. The student’s enthusiasm, creativity and warmth were nothing less than inspiring.  Job well done!

Make your dreams your reality,  

Lisa

Now on YouTube

Lisa Vogt Glass Artist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhOifd7wukk

Fused Vessel Sinks and More

4-Day, hands-on workshop

Class size is limited to four.

Register online at www.LisaVogt.net

Sept. 24-27, 2013

Jan. 28-31, 2014

Feb. 18-21, 2014

It’s The Thought That Counts

Growing up, my mother showed me through example how to be independent, kind and generous. She’d take trips to educational or historical places she wanted to see alone if Dad didn’t care to go. She constantly has a positive attitude and speaks kindly of everyone all the time. According to my mom, large people are just, “big boned.” She always gives her time generously to family and friends. To this day, at eighty years old, mom still mails each one of my ten adult cousins a hand-signed Christmas card with a five dollar bill enclosed. 

Mom’s actions speak louder than words. They have stuck with me into adulthood and are the cornerstone for my own parenting; which is not surprising since mom says, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

Happy Mother’s Day!

Lisa

My Best Work

It seems fitting that I became a mom in May.

Just the other day, I was telling someone that my daughter would be turning twenty-one this month. The perky, twenty-something year old Kindergarten teacher asked, “Does that make you feel really OLD?”

My reply, “Heck no, I can’t wait to party with her.”

Truth is, I don’t really like babies. Don’t get me wrong, I loved mine. And I can’t wait to have grandbabies, when the time is right. But when my daughter was two weeks old I was disappointed. All she did was sleep, cry and, a lot of the time, smell bad. I didn’t get even so much as a smile, unless she had gas.

I wanted a person. Someone I could do fun stuff with like finger paint, go to the zoo, and watch animated movies with, over and over.

One of my favorite family memories is a trip to Busch Gardens. It was the first time our second daughter was tall enough to go on all the rides. We didn’t have to take turns or leave anyone behind. It was great. The whole family rode the Sandstorm together.

In recent years, the girls have expanded their interests. They go places and do things I never did, or haven’t in years. It’s exciting to see them try new things, watch them grow and share in their experiences.  

When I was a young mom, I expected to nurture and teach my kids. What I hadn’t expected was that being their mom, sharing their life, would nurture and teach me.



Rock concert faces!

 My girls are now twenty-one and sixteen and they are super, fun people.

Nurture your dreams,  

Lisa

New Local Class

Join me for a fun filled day!

Painting with Frit

Saturday June 1, 2013

Lecture, Hands-on, 9am – 4pm

All skill levels

THE STAINED GLASS STUDIO OF CLEARWATER

29146 U.S. 19  Clearwater, FL 33761

Please call for availability   Dates subject to change

727-786-7070       www.katglass.com      Email: katglass@aol.com

Now on YouTube

Lisa Vogt Glass Artist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhOifd7wukk

Fused Vessel Sinks and More

4-Day, hands-on workshop

Class size is limited to four.

Register online at www.LisaVogt.net

Sept. 24-27, 2013

Jan. 28-31, 2014

Feb. 18-21, 2014