I have a piece of stained glass I would love to sell today. So here goes, today is Sell a Piece of Art Day. (Even if it takes a week!)

This piece has been hanging around for a while and needs a home. It is 27" in diameter, made with Saint Just glass from France, brass rings that have been wrapped in copper foil to match the rest of the piece. There is a weaving incorporated into the project. The glass is beautiful and now easy to come by here in North Carolina.

The piece is called Weave. If you like more information on it  please feel free to email me at kim@kimsjoy.com or call me at 703-623-0905.

​I love to read. I mostly read non-fiction, how to and history books. With COVID I had the opportunity to join a book club and it has been amazing. The Delaware Art Museum has the most amazing book club. It has met virtually since April 2020, the y might be going in-person this month but secretly  I hope they do not. Since I joined in July of 2020 I have met some amazing people, the discussions are lively but not unruly. Sometimes it does get heated but after all is said, friends we remain.

The 2020 Reading list since I joined was:

A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr- this is one of my favorites. I waited until I read the book before watching the movie and so glad I did. Carr did an amazing job bringing the scene to life. The story was also very moving. This was really a book about healing in my eyes. The funny part was that an atheist was living in the church belfry. Moon was second favorite character after Birkin.

The Birth of Venus by Sarah Durrant. Art was power during the Renaissance. A girl well educated. Discussion of dissecting bodies by Michelangelo, The Painter and others. Art and madness connection. Many versions of love. This was a great book, I could not put it down. Parallels between then and now.... The Mad Monk and Mob Survival.

The Lady in Gold The Extraordinary Tale of Gustav Klimt's Masterpiece, Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer by Anne-Marie O'Connor. Again, art is a commodity. This piece of art was personal. Interestingly Klimt had 18 children. Klimt died duting the Pandemic of 1918. Some of Adolph Hitler's art portfolios are in the Smithsonian. If Hitler had gotten into art school, would WWII have happened?

The Mabinogion edited by Lady Charlotte Guest. The hardest read on the list, this is a collection of 12th and 13th century Welsh stories. These stories are the first reference to King Arthur. Harry Potter, C S Lewis and Lord of the Rings all draw from The Mabinogion.

Clara and Mr Tiffany by Susan Vreeland. The book covers 1892 to 1908. This book meant a lot to me as a stained glass artist. The details of the work were true to the art. I still feel Clara and the Tiffany Girls did not get the recognition they deserve.

2021 Book List so far:

Possession by A S Byatt. A wonderful book. Paralleled the characters to the people they were researching. The researchers became possessed with the authors. Secrets. Relationships.

Becoming Dr. Seuss: Theodore Geisel and the Making of an American Imagination by Brian Jay Johns. I became engrossed with finding out how much the former Geisel homes are worth today! Giant rabbit hole.  Geisel studied at Oxford and one of his professors was J R R Tolkien. Did you know that because of the WWII and the threat to California that the Rose Bowl in 1942 was moved to North Carolina?  It was shortly after we read this book that some of the Seuss books were pulled off store shelves.

The Other Alcott by Elise Hopper. I have lived in Bedford Massachusetts, the next town over from Concord where the Alcotts lived. May is the heroine in this book. Unlike Little Women where she treated badly by her sister Louisa. Bronson, the father, would not work for money so everything was put on Marmee. It was a good story and we got to see Louis in a different light. Was she mean or just filling in as provider for the family?
 
Loving Vincent (DVD) this I was was the facilitator for. It was awesome. 125 artists painted the 65,000 paintings that would become the movie. Completely built from Van Gogh's paintings. Rotoscope used for most of the animation, taking live people scenes ad animating them. Only 1000 painting survived the filming. This is the story of Vincent's death. The postman became concerned and followed up on Vincent's last steps. You need to watch this, maybe even twice to get the whole feel for it. You will see famous actors portraying the characters. Just a wonderful piece of artwork in itself.

The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver. Full of history and detailed history. Violet Brown is a captivating character. Harrison's role models were his mother and Frida. Frida said " History is like a knife cutting through life". This was very good, though at times my mind wandered off to stories I had heard or read about Frida.

Treasured Palaces: Great Writers Visit Great Museums edited by Maggie Fergusson. This is a celebration of the world's museums and revered writers tell us about their tris to their favorite museums. An interesting way to visit far off places.

The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild. A great read. Showing the shady side of the art world, story is about the art that was stolen from Jewish families during WWII in Europe and the stealing of identity to save yourself. I really loved this witty love story hidden in a ruthless art world.

Dapper Dan: Made in Harlem- A Memoir by Daniel R. Day. Not a book I would have ever found. Dapper Dan created fashion for many famous rappers, hip hop artists, boxers and criminals. He became famous for using top designers logos in his work. A real look at Appropriation of Design- intellectual property. A good read and a glimpse of how Harlem grew, that part in itself made the book very worthwhile to read.

Mad Enchantment the Painting of the Water Lilies: Claude Monet and by Ross King. This is the book for this month, will have to wait to hear about later.

Are you an avid reader? Do you like traditional books or digital books? are you in a Book Club? If so where?

Keep reading and keep art in your heART!

Kim

Yes I have a mannequin. Her name is Edna. She is named after my Mom. They do not look anything alike, the mannequin Edna has a smaller chest than the real Edna! 

I got the mannequin at an Art Supply Swap in Virginia back in 2008 or 2009. She does not get tall, I believe she was meant for a tabletop.

I use Edna for my shop photos and for display. She helps with design also wears pieces for display and to be sure they sit correctly. 

Do you have a mannequin? Does your mannequin have a job?

​If you have one please leave a comment and share a phot of your mannequin.

Where has summer gone? Can you believe it is August already? I had so many things on my To Do List and some of them are still on the list :(

I did get lots done also- cleared the strip between my house and the neighbor's. It was a mess, there are still those mean vines that try to trap you and stab you. Made three raised beds for my vegetable garden. The garden did not fair as well as I had hoped. I think there are too many drain holes in it so the water doesn't just flow through the box. Lots of projects in the studio done or in the works. Stained Glass repairs done. Watercolor class. Art Therapy Course completed. Brooklyn Library Sketchbook Project. Great Book Club. Purged kitchen. New cooking pots after 24 years! Wow what a difference new good pots make. Holly Jolly July. Commissions. Classes. 

What did you do this summer? 
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June 29 I launched the Shop on my website. I had one before but it needed help so I took it down and wala!

Right now there are necklaces, pendants and earrings. I am loading things that are not in my brick and mortar store or on Etsy. I hope you enjoy it.

​The tab is in the nav bar marked Shop .

I am looking for ideas for new pieces. I do have sketches on workbench. Anything you can dream up or color combos would be appreciated. I do want to add smaller panels that are easier to ship. I think that larger ones would be tricky.

Thank you for all your help and encouragement over the years. I appreciate your support.

It is quiet on Friday afternoons during the summer here in Wilson. Lots of people going to the beach. So what can I do? Well I found a small crate of glass that I have not unloaded and found some works of art . Not finished artwork but just sheets of glass or scraps of glass that are truly worth saving for an amazing project. I admit I am a glass hoarder, though I prefer the title glass saver, I am not ashamed at all. I want ALL the glass! Some pieces of glass I have had since 2005 and have moved them 7 times and have not cut them.

Changes are coming for Art Happens on Tarboro. On July 7 there will be a reveal. I am so excited and can't wait. I am itching to start but I need to wait until July 3 to start work.

So what supplies do you save? I was a responsible crafter and donated basket making supplies, lots of jewelry findings I will never use, Friendly Plastic ( who thought of that name?), rug braiding supplies, card making supplies, scrapbook supplies and more to different places like Upcycle in Alexandria and Scrap Exchange in Durham. It felt good to release them into the universe so someone could use them instead of storing them for eternity!

Have a wonderful weekend and go take a look at your stored supplies and see what you can make.

Keep art in your heART!
​Kim

Well it is here! Wacky Wednesday at my studio! It is time to work on old projects that need finishing up, repairs, cleaning the grinders and thing that needs tending to. Three students came in, two working on their projects and one to buy more glass! Always love supply shoppers.

I will be planning  for the next quarter this week- classes, workshops, projects, outreach, new products to try. 

So what are you doing on your Wacky Wednesday? 

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Remember to keep art in your heART!

Have wonderful Wacky Wednesday!

​Kim

HERE’S HOW TO TAKE CARE OF A STAINED GLASS PIECE OF ART

HANGING A SUNCATCHER OR STAINED GLASS WINDOW:  I RECOMMEND THAT YOU HANG YOUR PIECE SECURELY FROM A STURDY HOOK THAT HAS BEEN SCREWED INTO A SECURE MATERIAL, LIKE A WALL STUD OR WOODEN WINDOW FRAME – SOMETHING THAT ISN’T GOING TO FALL DOWN. I AM NOT A HUGE FAN OF SUCTION CUP HANGERS ATTACHED TO WINDOWS.
 
CLEANING: THE STAINED GLASS PIECE YOU HAVE PURCHASED HAS BEEN CLEANED, THEN COMPLETELY PROTECTED WITH A WAXY SEALER THAT IS APPLIED IN ITS SPRAY LIQUID FORM, IS LEFT TO DRY, AND IS THEN BUFFED AND POLISHED WITH A SOFT, DRY RAG. ASIDE FROM A GENTLE DUSTING, YOUR PIECE MAY NEVER NEED TO BE CLEANED. I DON’T RECOMMEND USING WINDOW CLEANERS OR OTHER CHEMICAL CLEANERS ON ANY PIECE OF STAINED GLASS, SINCE THEY MAY DAMAGE THE LEAD, SOLDER, GLASS AND INTEGRITY OF THE PIECE. 

WHITENING OF SOLDER LINES: I CLEAN THE PIECE BEFORE IT IS SEALED. HOWEVER, FROM TIME TO TIME, SOLDER OR LEAD WILL OXIDIZE AND LEAVE A WHITISH SUBSTANCE ON ITS SURFACE. GENTLY WIPE WITH A BRUSH OR A NON-ABRASIVE PLASTIC POT SCRUBBER TO REMOVE THE “WHITE”. (NEVER PUT ABRASIVE STUFF ON YOUR GLASS PIECE. IF YOU CAN’T GET THE “WHITE” OFF, CONTACT ME.) 

TWICE A YEAR, I RECOMMEND YOU RE-SEAL THE PIECE SO THAT IT’S PROTECTED FROM “WHITEN”. GLASS SEALER IS AVAILABLE AT ART HAPPENS ON TARBORO. I SPRAY THE SEALER ON A SOFT RAG AND THEN POLISH THE METAL AND GLASS SURFACES FOLLOWED BY A SOFT DRY RAG TO BUFF IT.​

TOUCHING YOUR GLASS PIECE:  STAINED GLASS PIECES ARE PUT TOGETHER WITH SOLDER THAT CONTAINS LEAD. EVEN THOUGH EACH PIECE IS SEALED WHEN IT’S FINISHED, I ALWAYS SUGGEST THAT YOU DO WHAT I DO AND WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP AND WARM WATER AFTER CLEANING/ HANDLING ANY STAINED GLASS PIECE. LEAD IS A HEALTH ISSUE WHEN INHALED OR INGESTED. WASHING YOUR HANDS AFTER HANDLING IT IS CONSIDERED SUFFICIENT PRECAUTIONS TO PREVENT UNWANTED EXPOSURE.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ME 252-650-2530 OR EMAIL ME  at kim@arthappensontarboro.com or kim@kimsjoy.com.

I love stained glass Sunday! Actually I love stained glass everyday. 

Someone asked me why? Why do you work in stained glass? It is so old fashioned. Nobody has stained glass in their houses anymore. It is just something to block you window and the view of outside.

I wanted to cry and scream. I kept my patience as they went on and on. Finally I could take it no longer.

Why do I work in stained glass? Because I love it. I love to work with the glass, listen to it tell what it wants to be, hear its story ( if it is a repair), be amazed it the way light plays with. To take a few sheets of flat glass and to cut it apart, pit it back together and then hang it in a window and see it come to life... that is why!

It has been around for hundreds of years and it came after painting. Does that make painting old fashioned also? There is so much contemporary stained glass out now, it is not your Granny's stained glass! 

Many people have stained glass hanging in their homes and some make it permanent fixtures with built ins. A realtor makes special note of stained glass in a home being listed. And there is lamps and freestanding pieces around in homes.

Block your view? I have stained glass in windows in every room in my house and even numerous pieces in some rooms! I so want to make little pieces to hand in each pane of the frame! Like a stained glass applique window. Stained glass can be transparent so you can see through it and unless the piece covers the whole window, you can see around it.

I just looked up from my computer, it the window in front of me have three pieces hanging and the other window in this room has two. 

Do you think stained glass is too old fashioned? Do you have pieces of stained glass in your home? Do you think it blocks the view? 
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Let me know you thoughts.

Have a great week. Keep art in your heART!
Kim

No really! I just lost track of time and got sidetracked big time.

I have been tackling repairs left and right. Trying to clear the workbench of of unfinished projects and such. I have also been racking my brain for ne class ideas. If you have some stained glass project you have been itching to do, please let me know and maybe we can set up a class for it.

The storefront is done! Took long enough and we had a few hiccups along the way. The window boxes still look dark, I do turn on the overhead lights when I am there. 

​What do you think about the facade now? Can you remember what it looked like before?
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