My Stained Glass Adventures

Couples Stained Glass Workshop

2012-02-08T08:00:00.001-07:00

We are hosting a couples workshop on Friday the 10th from 7 to 9 pm. This is a great date where each couple gets to make two different projects, a stained glass heart suncatcher and a heart blasted into red stained glass. We've hosted this type of event a few times in the past and it's been great fun. Light refreshments will be served at the $35 workshop. It's fun and out of the ordinary!

The Gallery Stroll was great!

2012-02-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

Last Friday was the downtown gallery stroll. I was blown away by the metal sculpture on display at the Covey Center. Tim Little has done some wonderful, imaginative pieces. If you get a chance stop by this month, you won't be dissapointed.

Also, the skateboard art at the Terra Nova Gallery has been held over for another month. Jeanne put another piece in the show. "Gliding on Glass," is a glass skate board that is quite nice. It's just great to be part of Provo's art community.

Art is All Around

2012-02-02T22:07:00.000-07:00

We are excited about the First Friday Gallery Stroll in Downtown Provo. We are experiencing a large amount of work in our stained glass business..Usually Jan and Feb are our slow times. So with our focus on these two large projects, it's important to spend some time experiencing the arts.

The Byu Illustrators group are featured at the Health and Justice Building. Some very good pieces will thrill your imagination. See you out there!

New Shows

2012-01-29T19:46:00.002-07:00

I got to have a piece in the skateboard show at the Terra Nova Gallery last month. It was so well received that they are extending the show an additional month. Some of the boards are very impressive. Mine is decarated with glass. Joe Flores has a Pinochio .uppet coming out of a board. There are quite a few good ones, all good examples of entertaining art. Since you've got another month to see them, you ought to stop by.

Installing A Church Window

2011-12-05T09:02:00.003-07:00

My plan is to use the video I shot at the install of the Saint Francis Of Assisi catholic church in Orem, in a video we're preparing about installs. We've filmed several segments about different installs. They are amateur videos because Jeanne and I shot them on location, but I think they will prove to be very good instruction.

The stained glass is big and was very delicate until it was put in the frame, which is always the case.

Getting Ready For Show Two

2011-11-28T08:00:00.001-07:00

We made it through the Thanksgiving holidays intact, and we're putting the finishing touches on the show at the Covey Center for the Arts. The show, "Illumination" features lit works. Quite a few "Fan Lamps" are the focal point of the show. We're going to set up on the second floor and we'll be the first show in that space.

There are also a couple of panels that are backlit so they'll show well in the space. I think it'll be a pretty nice display, although much smaller (so easier to put together) than the past four shows we've put together.

Jeanne and I will be shuttling back and forth between the two shows on the Downtown Gallery Stroll. The Covey Center show is usually the heaviest attended during the stroll. The Health and Justice building vies for the first and second heavily attended event during stroll.

Hope to see you at one of the shows!

Getting Ready For Show One

2011-11-21T08:00:00.001-07:00

We were caught a little short when we learned that we had to have our entries for the "His, Hers And Ours" show at the Utah County Health and Justice in on November the 19th. The opening reception for the show is scheduled for December 2. Part of the regular downtown art stroll, the reception will last from 7 to 9

The Utah County Art Board

2011-11-07T08:00:00.001-07:00

This was a meeting a year ago and now, only three in the photo work with the Utah County Art Board. The Art Board is a group of artists and volunteers that schedule and plan the art shows at The Utah County Health And Justice Building each month. They organize the shows, hang the art work and host the First Friday receptions as part of the Downtown Provo Gallery strolls.

     This evening, Naomi White has resigned as the president of UCAB. She has worked with the board 6 1/2 years and been president for the last 5years. Her resignation is effective the end of December. She will be missed by all those who worked with her.

     As artists who make our living working with the arts, Jeanne and I feel it's very important to be part of our community and especially part of the art community. There is always a constant flow, a changing of the guard in volunteer organizations. We feel that we can volunteer in a leadership role for a year as Jeanne just did working with the gallery stroll for a year and then we must step down and allow someone else to take over. This is especially true in volunteer organizations because we don't all have that much time to volunteer. We've got jobs and families to support, we've got weddings and family responsibilities. We're busy!

     We want to take a moment to thank all those who volunteer. Especially to Naomi at this time. Thank you!

All Hallows Eve!!!

2011-10-31T08:03:00.002-06:00

What a better time to write about the window we're building for the Saint Francis Of Assisi Catholic church in Orem, Utah. It's a beautiful window! I've particularly enjoyed cutting the brown border pieces that are rope-like and thinking about how Christ said he was a "fisher of men." So that has some meaning and the entire panel is packed with symbols and meaning in the shapes and the colors. I'm sure that those who view the panel in the sanctuary where is is installed will find even greater depth and meaning in its' content. Stained glass artists I meet often try to avoid doing religious works because they don't want to be held to the past. They want to break free of the religious nature that were the beginnings of stained glass. Jeanne and I feel that religious inspiration is one of the beautiful aspects of stained glass. We love to include inspirational elements to all of our works. The interaction between glass and light is a sometimes miraculous result and we love the way the natural beauty of glass can drive us to be inspired. This inspiration is a very personal feeling and I think that artists who try to avoid it must have some underlying suspicion of organized religion. But if they were to step back and analyze the nature of glass, they would find that all glass work can fill us with inspiration. Yes, even the dopey suncatchers your grandmother likes!

The folk angel appears in this blog because we're entering her in the Springville religous and inspirational show.

Stained Glass Quilt

2011-10-24T07:00:00.001-06:00

You probably know that we created a "Stained Glass Quilt" several years ago and that you can get the patterns for the panels at http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Patterns/p-page.htm
We are now making a video on how to build the stained glass quilt. It shows specific techniques that are required on several of the panels to build them. I think it will be a useful video.
While getting ready to film, I discovered that some of the stained glass panels needed to be cleaned and I created a short instructional video on how to clean a panel. You can see it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCVtv0iLVXQ
This is part of our new premium video instruction that is no charge (right now)

Repairing a leaded window using a Dremel tool

2011-10-17T15:32:00.002-06:00

This month I wrote a newsletter article about doing a repair to a leaded window using a dremel tool. The panel was perfect for this type of repair. It was small, in good condition and only one piece of glass was broken.

The steps are interesting to read about, but if I had to repair windows to make my living, I'd either have to raise my prices or change my occupation. It's not very rewarding work, since the object is to complete the repair so that no one even notices your handiwork.

Adding Metal Framing To A Panel

2011-10-10T06:00:00.001-06:00

I wrote an article about putting metal around an octagon frame (you can see it at http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/042-8-11-Nov-metaloct/addmetal.htm

The image to the left is from that article. The other night we took some video of how it's done using 1/4" zinc outer bar. The technique is quite different and should be valuable if you ever build a octagon or other polygon shape.

Chasing The Cash

2011-10-03T06:00:00.001-06:00

I'm an artist not a bill collector and I don't enjoy having to chase money. I'd almost rather walk away from an unpaid debt than have to work to get paid. This is why we ask for 50% up front and then we get the other 50% just before we ship or install. If the client has paid 50% up front, they are unlikely to walk away from their investment. If we get paid the full amount before we ship glass, we don't have to worry about collecting our fee.

But occasionally, things go wrong. A few years ago, we got our 50% up front and billed for the second half with the decorator who we worked with. The window was delivered and installed and then both we and the decorator had to wait for payment. The clients held final payment back from everyone who worked on the project for a year and a half. At the end of that time, the house was sold at double the asking price when we were due to be paid. They had used all the contractors as the bank, doubled their money and then happily paid us all later on. That's the only time I came close to filing a lien on a property.

Recently we delivered some panels that we agreed to trade foe half the value and get the remainder in cash once they were installed. But somehow, when the install happened, the deal started to change, we weren't paid anything, other windows were added into the deal and the whole thing became a mess. Now the client treats us like bill collectors, we've used up our solder reserves on the project and we feel abused. I'm going to try not to let this happen again, but until it gets resolved, it saps energy away from us and makes the creative process a little less enjoyable.

Time Slips By

2011-09-19T07:00:00.001-06:00

I can't believe it took me so long to post a clip from our video on Family Projects on YouTube. Better late than never! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAHvgFXP2Ao

Repairing A Window For An Artist

2011-09-12T07:00:00.004-06:00

This month's newsletter is about how we fixed a window for our artist friend's, Randy and Lynde Mott. Because she is such an avantgarde person, she thought it would be fun to replace the broken pieces with different colors so that the damage could be remembered. We found that we had clear textured glass that would look quite similar to what we were replacing, giving the repaired window a professional look while "remembering" it's history.

When we finished it was stronger, and better looking that it had been in years. We'll be showing how we did it in the newsletter.

Designing, Designing, Designing

2011-09-05T08:00:00.003-06:00

As stained glass artists, we find that one of the clarion calls to success is that we have to design work for clients so that we can build it. There's no escaping the process unless we become "fine artists" and build windows simply for our own delight and show them in galleries, selling one every five years, splitting the commission with the gallery.

So, we choose to meet with commercial clients who might see the advantage to installing stained glass in their facility. This can prove to add value, atmosphere and will freshen up a stale space. We just presented a great design for an entry to a public building. They liked it and scheduled the next meeting, asking for color designs and warning that they would be wanting one or two of the iconic panels changed to something that would be more closely related to their center. The downside is that we will make many different designs, trying to appeal to a committee (sometimes a daunting task). The upside is that we could get work that will be purchased over a four year period.

Now we're working with a church at the same time to create a panel for the sanctuary. This is another important project for us because we want to do work in the community that's meaningful, and folks often ask us if we've done work for churches (or temples) and now we can say we have!

Digging Mandalas

2011-08-29T06:00:00.001-06:00

Because Jeanne is writing a new book on Mandalas, "Stained Glass Mandalas For Success," I get to work on them with her. They begin to fill you mind, these circular designs that can help you focus and inspire us to achieve more in our lives.

We recently built one for ourselves, a repeating pattern with subtle, delicate colors. It's inspiring. Sometimes the center demands attention and at other times the border is what is interesting. It's pretty interesting, the way your focus shifts as you live with a mandala. You find that those images really do inspire and really do help you focus. All those meta-physical concepts are actually valid. Who Knew!?

Designing several projects

2011-08-22T06:00:00.003-06:00

Sometimes, when we get caught up, the newsletter is done, most jobs are on track and the house payment has been made; it's tempting to relax. Put off the many, many designs that have been asked for. They don't represent immediate business. In fact, many times they feel like work. Because they represent a nebulous promise of work in the future. Sometimes, even when we've been asked to submit designs to someone who says they want them and they have the money so will you please design something for us...it's so easy to just keep sailing along...complacent and taking your time!

That's not happening at the moment! Thankfully. I have several designs that are begging to be done and Jeanne has sketched some out and now she's impatiently waiting for me to get them on AutoCad and get them done! And it's fun drawing them! It's just that there are so many options and great ideas..which way to go, should that element be round because it looks good or should it be oblong so it doesn't look like that other panel? Maybe I should draw both ideas and let the client decide..but you have to be careful because if you give them too many choices, they won't be able to decide on anything.

Design, it's so great and I'm having fun!

Stained Glass in a Headboard

2011-08-15T06:00:00.008-06:00

Now this was an unusual project. We've never done a headboard before.

The friend who came to pick it up was afraid it might get broken in his pickup truck. So the clients called around. Top bid was $1800 by a moving company. They would build a wooden crate, pack it up in bubble wrap and ship it the 10 miles to their home.

Uhaul would rent a truck for $250 and sell them wrapping and packing materials for another $250.

While our client talked to me on the phone (she was a talker) I measured my trailer and discovered that it would fit (just barely) with a few modifications.

So I bought plywood, cut it to 6 feet, screwed it to the trailer and then layered 1" foam, the bed frame and more 1" foam and then used bungee cords to secure the load. I delivered it the next day. They were shocked that I showed up fifteen minutes after I called.

It got there safe and sound and looked great!

Don't Step On That!!!! No Really

2011-08-08T06:33:00.000-06:00

The other day our daughter, Katherine, cut her foot on a piece of glass, in the living room! Now this is the first time this has ever happened to anyone, but it does serve to remind us that we are dealing with substances that can be hazardous. The little piece of glass was probably tracked in by getting stuck to someone's shoe. I'm not sure how we'll resolve this problem to keep it from happening again.

I'm more worried about the exposure that we might have to lead. This is because it can be happening and you don't even know it. We got a lead environmental tester to check our studio out last year and the only time he got a reading was when he put the tester on a roll of solder. So, we just need to be careful and follow the lead safety guidlines, which are don't eat, drink, smoke or chew gum while working with lead. Wash well after using lead and change your work clothes as soon as possible afterwards.

As far as I am aware, following sensible precautions are all you need to do to protect yourself, but you do need to be aware of the potential hazards around you.

This week in stained glass

2011-07-29T09:22:00.003-06:00

We worked on a stained glass window that is a gift for our son-in-law Greg and will also go in Jeannes new Mandala book. The missing pieces are being fired in the kiln.

We also worked on a bed frame. A stained glass panel will fit into the headboard which sits up against a window and the owners want light to be able to get into the room.

And Jeanne spent some productive hours on the bus stop mural she's doing. It may be painting, but it's still art and will be a very happy piece when completed.

A New Datenight For Two

2011-07-23T00:31:00.010-06:00

We are hosting another Date Night in conjuction with Susan Glenn's Date Night For Two. This time we will be making "Nova Stars" one of our most popular projects. They make great gifts and are very popular. If you'd like to know more about the event (next Friday) click here to go to Date Night For Two.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wwb8GhmeQDI
is the first video we posted for the datenight for 2 that we hosted at Gomm Studios

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUFq43R0UcU
is a second video we posted for datenight for 2 that we hosted in June 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KevEuSR8TR0
is a third video we posted for the datenight event

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nCn0EMaDQQ
After The datenight was over, Jeanne and Susan talked about how sucessful the evening was.

You Win Some, You Lose Some

2011-07-18T00:38:00.000-06:00

We built a cardinal and sent it to Connecticut, Stonington, the place we went on vacation several years ago. In my mind when the project was described to me, I imagined it to be about 2 feet in diameter, so I shot the client a price of $500 plus shipping which might be $50. He answered back that he could go $550 but no more, so we went ahead and started on the piece once we received 50% down.

But I really blew it on the size. It was closer to three feet in diameter, so twice as much glass as I had envisioned and the cost of shipping was $200. I was just glad they would ship it UPS. It also took more like two weeks to build it rather than one so it should have cost more. So like I said, "you win some and you lose some." But it was a pleasant experience creating the bird and should give the client years of enjoyment.

Advice For Artists

2011-06-28T13:34:00.003-06:00

I loved visiting with Jenny Oaks Baker. Artists have so much to share about their work. We can learn from each other and be encouraged in our own artistic endeavors. What can you do today to renew that spark that wants to ignite? Write a poem, sing a song, take a photo? It's the summer of your budding talent. We have all been given gifts. What fun to express our creativity. I welcome your thoughts on what you have done this week to "Invite the Light". I'm going to paint a mural, build a window of a piano and make 13 girls camp fused glass pins. What about you?

Creating Video Clips

2011-06-28T09:51:00.002-06:00

Those who follow the activities of our studio know that we love teaching and find video to be a very useful way to teach. Our first video took 5 years, 3 producers and many hours to complete. It turned out very well and is our top seller.

When we started on our project series, we decided to avoid continuity errors by shooting the video straight through and then inserting extra shots later. We keep the original video, with any flaws and mistakes. This way we don't have the nightmare of losing information that we had to fight with out first production. We are currently working on our sixth project video. They have each been fun to complete.

Now, we are beginning to shoot little video clips to make our blog and websites more interesting. This has been frustrating at times because I have gotten close to completing a video project time after time and hit a snag and been shut down. Finally I have found a piece of software after trying to use about 15 different software programs, including: adobe premier pro, microsoft movie maker, roxio final cut 7, showbiz, showbiz DVD 2, The entire AVS suite, and Quicktime pro (just to name a few). This software that finally works with no glitches is Cyberlink Power Director 9. If you find yourself looking for a video editing tool for the PC, this is it! It's very complex and I have much to learn but after all the many programs I've attempted to learn and then running into problems, and printing off hundreds of pages of (sometimes usless) manuals, it's great to have a place where I can focus.

Last night I downloaded the trial version and this morning I was able to complete 2 quick videos about advice to musicians. The following are links to the YouTube videos.

Jenny Oakes Baker

Musicians

Since it works so well, I'm set to but this software and you can get it for only $49, imagine that, the best software at such an affordable price!

Date Night - Fan Lamps

2011-06-24T08:05:00.011-06:00

We had so much fun at our Date Night for 2 class. The fan lamps turned out great.

It made me smile to see the couples helping each other. "You are doing such a good job on your solder joints." and "Here, would you like to work on this side?" and even " What ever color you choose will be perfect."

It was good. We will definitely do this again. Working with Susan Glenn is always a pleasure. She sets up lots of date nights. Enough talk, here are pictures.

Date Night For 2

2011-06-08T13:39:00.003-06:00

Every once in a while we want to go on a date together. That's when David opens the car door and has a little cash in his wallet. At those times we look at each other and say "What do you want to do? I don't know, what do you want to do? I guess we'll go to dinner or to a show." That can be fun, especially since we don't go out often, but we came up with another choice.

We are making a video on how to make little fan lamps and thought, "Hey! lets have a couples date night and everyone can make one of these." Brilliant! So if your dating ideas are running stale, come join us. It's June 17, 2011 at 7pm. Go to datenightfor2.com to sign up (see the link above). I think it will be fun. Today I am making some to see how easy they really are. It's my adventure to see if the patterns I made work like I think they will.

Getting To YES!

2011-04-28T11:23:00.004-06:00

Many times, I notice that my mind jumps to why I can't do something and I have to convince myself that I can do the job.

This was the case when a piece was brought for us to repair. The first concern, the first no was that the type of piece usually sells for 10 to 15 dollars and the repair would run $45 per piece of glass.

Then the second no was that we don't carry fractures and streamers glass.

As I looked for a substitute piece of glass, it occurred to me that I could make my own fractures and streamers glass. So, the lights came on and I felt happy about the prospects of success. I took a piece of hammered clear, cut up pink and white glass and I picked a black noodle, broke it up and set it up on the kiln fired piece.
Once I quit saying no, I found a way to accomplish the repair.

Inserting A Google Calendar Onto Our Website

2011-03-09T12:51:00.005-07:00

Jeanne wanted us to start adding calendar events to our website. It sounded like a good idea, so I told her that I would try to figure out how. I did a google search on inserting a calendar and learned that Google has a calendar feature, so I tried that first. It was pretty easy to figure out.

I searched "insert calendar into website" which gave me options and I chose http://www.google.com/googlecalendar/event_publisher_guide.html (which was titled Google Calendar)

The page gave instructions on:
Display a calendar on your site
Let people save an individual event from your site
Let people save all of your events from your site

So I read, followed directions and then fiddled with it until I liked what I had produced. One of the nice things about it is that if other folks use google calendar, they can update their own calendar with your event(s) very easily. So if you are planning to take a class, you can add it to your calendar with a few clicks.

Now we can add events and folks who care can easily see what we're up to!

Valetines Day and Art Glass

2011-02-14T09:58:00.003-07:00

I'm writing this on Valentines Day and the best thing I can give Jeanne is to work long hours and get some projects completed so that she isn't so stressed (and maybe give her some bubble bath and time to use it).

The funny thing is that the lead up to Valentines Day has been a flurry of getting gift items ready for two different shows. One was at the Finer Consigner in Pleasant Grove and the other a week later at ION fitness in North Provo. After all the gift pieces were made and we had put on the first show, I found myself walking through a store one day and wondering why the Valentines candy hadn't been marked down more than it had been. Then I realized that the holiday hadn't come yet, that I was thinking it was over because we had completed our show!

The truth is, it was fun getting ready for those shows. Little heart shaped glass items have a real meaning before and on Valentines Day. Then it's like the day after Christmas, you can't give away those things that meant so much a few days before.

This is why it's important as we build our art and gift items to continue to create inspiring art and just a few gift items.

Hope your holiday is a joyful one.

Lots Of Glass! 2011 is going to be great!

2011-01-21T02:01:00.003-07:00

It's so much fun to build more glass. We've got a lot to do and it's great.

I love cutting the glass, I love fitting the glass and I love soldering the panels together.

We got a crate of glass the other day and it took several days to unload and organize all the glass. It's great to have all the racks full! Now I just need more solder!

2011 promises to be great. We knew already, but things just keep getting better!

New Years and Resolutions

2011-01-01T22:06:00.004-07:00

With the New Year here and a brief look back at our accomplishments last year and our hopes for a bright new year, Jeanne and I have been reviewing and setting goals for 2011.

I am happy that we were able to get her book completed in 2010.

We have set particular goals as to what we're going to write this year and we will be focusing on stained glass instruction on two different projects.

In 2010 we started with 2 videos (Beginning Stained Glass and Stained Glass Picture Frames) and added 3 more instruction videos (Stained Glass Jewelry Boxes, Stained Glass Kaleidoscopes and How To Make Stained Glass Charms)

We intend to get 4 more videos out there in 2011, starting with Stained Glass Family Projects which is in the review process right now.

We still haven't made a profit on all these instructional materials, but we're getting close to paying for all the setup costs and maybe by the end of the year we'll get to keep some of the royalties.

If money was what it was about, I'd probably be selling pizza or greeting cards, anything but working as an artist. We're very sure that things are looking better for the future and we wish for you to have a properous new year!

Getting Back To Work

2010-12-27T12:22:00.004-07:00

I haven't quit working on glass projects, but the holidays were hectic. It's great to visit with friends and loved ones. It fun to write cards and go to parties. It's even fun to look for and find that perfect present!

But, now I can focus on creating the stained glass projects we have in process. I built several panels last month, but not nearly as many as I would have if not for the holiday activities. The old saying, "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," comes to mind. We have to make time for others, how can we have friends if we don't take time to be friends?

So, I'm grateful for the season and now I'm grateful to get back to work!

I Find Myself Distracted

2010-11-21T14:07:00.006-07:00

I do, I find myself distracted. I write a monthly newsletter (www.betterstainedglass.com ). It's about stained glass and features a tips and tricks article, a featured art project, a new free pattern and a highlighted supply that we sell. It takes quite a bit of time to set it up and publish it each month.

Then, I write two different blogs, My Stained Glass Adventures ( http://sgadventure.blogspot.com/ )and Confessions Of A Video Junkie ( http://confessionsvideojunkie.blogspot.com/ ). The adventures one gets a post about once a month and the other usually twice a month. I find it hard to come up with more to say about stained glass more than once a month that isn't repetitive and redundant. With videos, I usually review ones that I've seen at home and have a strong opinion about.

Occasionally I write an article, strictly about stained glass that isn't a how to for the newsletter and it goes on our www.gommstudios.com website.

Then there's the weekly writing I try to do on our facebook gommstudios group ( http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=121011244611125 ) and the daily comments that go on the personal facebook feed, the monthly comments that go on the downtown Provo art gallery stroll group ( http://gallerystroll.blogspot.com/ ) and the monthly comments on the Utah County Art Gallery facebook group ( http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=120154841376303 ).

Now I'm writing a copy of this blog onto a Merchant Circle account and I enjoy answering questions that I receive weekly from those who find us on the Internet and those that are sent from AllExperts.com

It's no wonder that I find myself distracted!

I aspired to becoming a writer when I was in high school, I guess I've made it on some level, I only hope I'm doing a good job of it.

(By the way, an author likes an audience, so if you click on the sites I've mentioned, feel free to become a follower or join the groups)

Loving Stained Glass

2010-11-20T10:52:00.006-07:00

I love stained glass!

I love to view it, I love it when it helps make an architectural statement. I love when an artist tries something different with it. I love little pieces of glass art and I love big, impressive masses of stained glass.

I love the colors of glass, how different qualities of light change the look of the piece. I love the heavy lines that run through the art, restricting us and yet defining our art.

I really do love it

BUT

There are things I'm less fond of. And it depends on the day and my mood. Usually cutting glass is a pure delight, but there are days when it's not as fun, when the design is boring or tedious. Occasionally I enjoy sandblasting. The sand flows just right and cuts into the glass perfectly and art is created, but most of the time there are technical difficulties that slow me down and I wonder why I ever suggested it to the client!

Right now, I'm enjoying getting videos about glass produced and getting Jeanne's first book completed. Writing the glass newsletter and setting up for an art show are so fun! These are related activities to stained glass and when I find that I really enjoy those side activities, it reminds me that this is why we keep practicing our art. We put pen to paper and cutter to glass, whether it's what we feel like today or not. Because creating the artwork leads to so many other fulfilling activities.

I have to create stained glass art if I want to have something to say in the newsletter! If we don't build glass, there is nothing to display, nothing to photograph and less to inspire us. So we love glass, for the glass itself and we also love glass for what it brings to our lives.

Hosting An Event

2010-09-09T10:34:00.002-06:00

They say that in order to successfully market your business you need to host at least 3 events every year. Last month, Jeanne invited her "Gather-Ring" group to meet at our studio. A dozen or more folks showed up for the activity, where each person was able to make a stained glass folk-like bird. It was a great success and we really enjoyed the group of women who came. Everyone was positive and happy, they were all ready to have a good time. Usually in a group activity, folks get impatient when they have to wait. These women weren't like that at all, several who were waiting to solder choose to select beads. Some were asking each other about their businesses while they waited and were brainstorming about what the next step someone could take in their marketing. It was positive and inspiring. And yes, they liked their completed project. Another thing we noticed, they wanted to do it themselves. It was okay to show how to do a step, but they wanted to have a chance to do it so that they learned in the process.

This group demonstrated really positive dynamics. After they left, Jeanne and I compared them to other groups we've taught and also individuals that have taken classes. We noticed that in this group, there were no complainers and no whiners. They were all there to have fun and support each other.

Also, no one was a "poor mouth." You know the type, can't you do this for free because I can't afford it, I could never do that because it costs too much..etc. We get that kind of student at least twice a year and they kind of suck all the fun out of teaching them. They are so busy focusing on what they don't have and how difficult life is for them, that they create a happiness vacuum around them, sucking the joy away during the class. These are usually the ones who want a deal, who want to trade for the cost of class and then leave owing us money. When we get that kind of student, we kind of groan inside because you can't kick them out of class, you just have to endure them. A couple of years ago, we had a student who was so gloomy that two students said they would be back after her classes were over and they took six weeks off and then returned after she was done.

It really was great, in contrast, to work with the "Gather-Ring" group. If all students were like this, we'd teach even more sessions of classes than we do now!

Surrounded by Nudes

2010-08-18T00:26:00.003-06:00

We are building windows to go over a friends spa. It's a bow window, the type that has five or six flat panels to go in a circular design around a bathtub. One day, after I'd been researching classic nudes on the Internet, after about two hours and finding very few that were right, I told Jeanne that I had to watch some mindless TV to clear the many images out of my head! The trials we go through for our art! Anyhow, I found three that will suit us for the window and there will also be a reverse of them in the other three panels. I think they will turn out to be some very wonderful panels, really inspiring! The one pictured is the most elegant of the three and will look especially good when softened by the sandblasting. But now I've got these prints waiting to be cut out and blasted, so we really are surrounded by nudes!

Jeanne and The Downtown Art Stroll

2010-08-10T10:17:00.004-06:00

In July, Jeanne was made the Director of The Downtown Provo Art Stroll. She has been meeting with gallery owners in the downtown stroll area, encouraging them to be proactive in getting artists for the stroll. She's kind of like an organizing cheerleader. August 6th was the stroll and today, August 10th we had an "After The Stroll" meeting to see how things went. One gallery wasn't even open during the stroll, one gallery made a sale, each of the galleries had between 60 and 250 visitors. It's really fun to go on the stroll, especially if the galleries are pumped about it each month. After all, it's free advertisement for them and it gets them known better by the community.

So what does that have to do with stained glass? We believe that we either all survive together or we sink. We have stained glass hanging for sale in two of the galleries and we'll be featured in another in December. So it's to our own interest to help the galleries survive, to do well, to have more traffic and build interest in all the arts. After all, we're pretty sure that good art raises one up and ennobles the spirit. So we're making the world a better place by creating and promoting good art.

It was also great to see the mayor of Provo (John Curtis) out visiting all of the gallery's, supporting the arts and visiting with folks in the community.

Jeanne has been diligent in meeting with gallery owners, in fact putting in more time and effort that a few of the gallery owners, getting ready for the stroll. She has found four more locations that will be part of the stroll, two of them have been exhibiting art all along, but weren't on the stroll map. Two other business owners were wondering how they could be a part of the event, but didn't know who to talk to! She feels grateful for the few folks who are willing to do a little extra to make the stroll a success. Now she just has to get things ready for September and then have a success at the semi-annual art chase in October (I didn't even know they did it twice a year!)

Having Fun In Spite Of The Heat

2010-07-31T00:58:00.006-06:00

Jeanne taught three students this morning while I re-did some postcards for the "First Fridays Downtown Provo Gallery Stroll." The guy who was going to design it, said he didn't have time this month when Jeanne called him to get them. So I volunteered. I told her that after the third edit of the card, "This just proves the old adage, No good deed goes unpunished."

We went and picked up a 4 x 8 sheet of Styrofoam for packing future stained glass shipments and we got a 4 x 8 sheet of drywall to use to build a glass panel on. Our grandsons, Nik and Drew carried the Styrofoam out by themselves, exclaiming how light it was.."I can carry this with one hand."

Then I was able to cut out an entire mandala that Jeanne had laid out. I had to cut 8 pieces with the saw in order to keep from breaking them. The picture I uploaded is the table with the pattern and a pile of cut pieces ready to grind and get fit in place.

The Artistic Path

2010-07-25T00:26:00.004-06:00

Lately we've had many new projects come our way. There are some that pay (which is good) and many that are either built as consignment items or pieces that are for trade or for us. This puts a strain on the budget, but allows us greater freedom artistically.

We finished one of the angel panels for our home and began the second one. It's fun and challenging and will be a great addition to our December show at the Covey Center, but it takes up space needed for other projects.

Lynde Mott has given us a rebuild to do, it's a little funky, she wondered if we could leave the holes left by broken pieces and just make the window stronger. We came to a compromise, where we replace the four or five badly broken pieces with clear textured glass. The idea is to show care for the window, but to leave it's imperfections.

Connie at The Finer Designer had us measure some of her windows at home and we gave her some designs. She liked the simple design for her 6 bathroom panels, and she loved the more formal windows. So we get to build them, there's a trade involved, but the sandblasted elements will be a challenge and should be beautiful.

And Alicia has approved her design for a panel in the large square transom area over her front door. It'll take a while since many of the pieces in this panel will be fused glass.

It's fun, exciting and rewarding. We can focus on good art and creativity, instead of chasing jobs for a couple of weeks. (I've heard that summer time is slow in the business, if this is slow, I'm going to have to learn to work harder and faster!

Copper Foil Is The Best

2010-07-13T12:02:00.006-06:00

Recently I got in a running discussion about the merits of the copper foil method. A reader saw that we had taken apart a leaded window, redesigned it and rebuilt it using the copper foil method.

"Why would you do that when leading is so much more versatile and strong?"

I was dumbfounded. You can see more pictures of the rebuilt window and the condition of the lead at rebuild.htm

It really was a sight. Just terrible condition.

I've discussed how superior the copper foil method is in articles before. The article at typeandquality.htm covers the subject very well, but in this running discussion (argument) that I had, I pointed out something that wasn't in that article which has been read and republished thousands of times.

Lead came deteriorates and crumbles and loses it integrity in as little as ten years and certainly within a hundred years unless encased in between glass. Copper foil doesn't because it isn't lead alone, but a mixture of tin and lead which is much stronger and stands up to the elements. Lamps and windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany sell from $30,000 to millions. But you don't see that price being commanded from lead came windows because they deteriorate so badly.

Her comment about lead came being more versatile is wrong in my opinion, this can be debated by others, but since it's my article, I say it's wrong. How many times have I seen lead came windows by really good artists that have a copper foil section in the panel because they need more detail in an area.

The only reason one would ever choose to use lead came is that it is faster to build, since only joints must be soldered, or that they were trying to achieve a certain perfection in laying out beveled diamonds in a French style window.

Thinking About Starting A Stained Glass Business

2010-05-07T10:43:00.005-06:00

I got an email the other day. It was from a fellow who was laid off and thought he might start a stained glass business. He was asking for advice and wondered if we ever gave free stained glass classes. It was hard to answer his email because it seemed so silly, having never even built a stained glass panel, he's considering starting a business in stained glass. Do people look at stained glass and think, "That looks like a pretty easy thing to do?" or do they see us at the farmers market each week with our displays and thousands of dollars invested in labor and glass items and think, "Well if they can do that, I could too?" My answer to him follows:
...................................................................................
We charge for our stained glass classes because it costs us to teach. There are supplies and materials that we use up during a class. The cost for a class session is $150 and that includes over $50 worth of supplies and materials including a glass cutter ($20) safety glasses ($4) copper foil ($15) sharpie pen ($2) flux brush ($1) fid ($3) zinc outer bar ($6) 1 lb solder ($18)and then most of the glass for a first panel measuring 12 x 12. We also let you use our equipment, grinders, tables, soldering irons, etc. Plus there are cleaners and chemicals that we furnish. We also have to buy extra insurance in case someone gets hurt and we have to heat and cool the place.

So, while it's true that we make a small fee after the cost of class, it's not much. We used to charge less for classes, but found that we were losing money and even though we enjoy teaching, we just have to make a profit or at least break even. You can read about our classes at
http://www.gommstudios.com/aboutus/classes.htm

We do have many lessons at
http://www.betterstainedglass.com/index.htm
Visiting there and reading all the articles will teach you a lot about stained glass. And finally, we sell a video at
http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Videos/Stained%20Glass%20Videos.htm
which will teach you the basics. We worked with several other folks for five years on the beginning video and share the profits with them, so even that video can't be free.

Make sure and read the article at
http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/stainedglassbus.htm
and start in business slowly. Stained glass is one of the hardest businesses you can try and last year we only made $5000 for the year. That's $5000 for two people working full time so $2500 for me and $2500 for my wife. That works out to $1.20 per hour. I'm not exaggerating. You should consider stained glass work as a hobby, under no circumstance will it make you a decent living without years of trial and error. Ask yourself some hard questions..is no one doing stained glass in Tooele because it's not appreciated there or is it because it's hard to make it as an artist. LDS employment offers free business advice. They will help you with a business plan and it's free to anyone who wants their help, you don't have to be LDS for the help. They will help you to get realistic about planning a business.
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People don't believe you when you give advice on business matters, articles I've written on business are as follows:

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/clientfromhell.htm
I tell the story of how a difficult client robbed us of joy for some time.

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/neversweat.htm
I explain some of the happy stress of running a business

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/dont%20be%20milo.htm
I tell of the student who broke me and caused me to give up stained glass completely for over a year.

http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/5-12-2005Dec-marketing/marketing.htm
I give some ideas on how one may market stained glass.

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/tradeorcash.htm
I discuss pros and cons of bartering in business.

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/howcanImakeit.htm
I discuss in detail the "eyes open approach" to entering a stained glass business.

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/overcomeadversity.htm
I discuss dealing with the adversity and discouragement of running a business.

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/nocompetition.htm
I explain my philosophy that competition doesn't really exist.

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/whenenoughisenough.htm
How long should I bend over backwards to satisfy a client?

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/thebusinessdream.htm
I tell of the feeling of having a good day in business.

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/appreciatingstained.htm
I explain that the majority of folks just don't appreciate stained glass.

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/artisticgoals.htm
What are worthy artistic goals?

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/problemteaching.htm
I complain about teaching classes.

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/runningbiz.htm
I express how little we know about running a stained glass business.

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/stainedglassbus.htm
I answer the question Should I Start My Own Stained Glass Business.

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/Howdidthathappen.htm
I tell of a mistake we made.

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/Salmons.htm
I explain about fighting to stay alive in economic tough times..this was before the bubble burst..we were struggling during the BOOM, ha.

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/twokindsofpeople.htm
I explain our open about art philosophy.

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/diabetes.htm
How health is important to us.

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/pricing.htm
I give our formulas for pricing stained glass.

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/internetseek.htm
How the Internet keeps changing on us.

http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/9-09-2009Sept-SurviveWStyle/SurvivalGuide.htm
This article is another installment on how to market stained glass.

http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/teachstainedglass.htm
I teach because it can lead to happiness.
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After all that, people still look at you with disbelief when you tell them that it's a struggle to run your own business. They are sure that you're lying to them, trying to keep them out of the game. They don't see the fact that you've been late on your house payment over half the months of the last year. They don't believe that you often only made $15 a week at the farmers market and that was all you made for the entire week and that the end of the summer you had to pay sales tax on it. They won't believe the despair you've felt as artist friends and gallery owners gave up and took menial jobs to get back on their feet. They don't believe or even imagine the number of times you've almost thrown in the towel and given up. And they especially don't believe us when we write articles and give lectures and we are positive about today and tomorrow..because it's told to us that we must be constantly positive and surround ourselves with positive affirmations to draw good things towards us. They believe our PR and won't/can't believe our reality.

Working On A Newsletter

2010-04-25T15:19:00.003-06:00

In our April newsletter I showed half of the procedure to setting up a sandblast cabinet and I'm finishing the article for our May newsletter as I finish my own cabinet. It's nearly done. The photo with this blog is what you have to wear when not using a sandblast cabinet.

When I learned to sandblast in Missouri, I would suit up (with a much better respirator) and rubber gloves that extended to my shoulders. I ran the sandblaster on the back porch and nothing else could be done back there since it created such a mess. Many times the humidity would be so high that it was difficult, sometimes impossible to get the sand to flow.

Now that we reside in Utah, it's so dry that I can blast even when it's raining..it's that dry! In fact, I often get static shocks from the cabinet through my clothes. I'm not a masochist but those shocks are almost..almost enjoyable because they mean I'm getting very good sand flow.

The art that you can produce with sand carving is worth the expense and effort of setting up a system.

Working on Sandblasting

2010-04-17T23:47:00.002-06:00

I wrote about the first half of setting up a sand blast system in our April newsletter. Now I'm working on the second half for May. It takes awhile because I have to set up the system to write about it and you have to make things up as you go. I put the sand blast hose through the cabinet and I don't like it, so I have to figure a better way. So if you do things by trial and error, you've got to get to the right way to do it before you go writing an article about it...don't you?

Working On Shutters For Our Dining Room

2010-03-03T23:40:00.002-07:00

I started working on a dining room area during the middle of last summer. Jeanne and I decided that it would be nice to put stained glass shutters in dining room. I first had to trim out the window. That went fairly quickly, then I had to build the shutters, but they were long and I also had to figure how to put them together so they would be strong. It took a long time for me to figure it out. So we got the frames put together.

Now we're working on the stained glass design. I printed out the one we had designed a few months back and both Jeanne and I were unhappy with it, so we're back to the drawing board. I suppose that when the project is done, we'll have a good article for the newsletter, but right now it's a wood working project.

Teach Stained Glass Or Something

2010-02-24T00:06:00.002-07:00

After building and designing stained glass projects for a few years, the newness and joy of it all began to fade for a friend of mine. He found that it wasn’t as much fun and he would put off projects because they didn’t drive him to the heights that they once had. This feeling lasted until he began to teach another round of classes and he rediscovered the joy that had been missing through the eyes of his students.

It was magical, as he began to teach the basic principles of how a window went together and the students cut their first pieces of glass, there was an excitement that went through the entire class. There was a joy in learning something new, there was an excitement as the students began to taste success.

And their excitement sparked his own. It rekindled the flame of burning joy that he had felt when he was in the process of building his first successful stained glass panel. He re-lived the feelings of anticipation as he selected the glass for his first piece. The feeling of success he had felt as he created pieces of glass that fit together the way they were supposed to came back to him as he saw and felt the successes that those students were feeling.

This new feeling was a rebirth of the old excitement and love that had caused him to embrace stained glass. It had become an obsession for him for some time, this building of artwork that was so beautiful. And he had embraced the art of stained glass wholeheartedly. But then, as time went on, it had become a job, a way to make a living and the joy of creation had begun to fade.

Most of us at one time or another may have had times when the joy of a hobby or an avocation goes out of it. I felt much the same as my friend at one time about stained glass, giving up entirely for a period of time. But I also found that same rebirth of enjoyment as I began to teach students of the art.

If this has been the case in your life, I propose that you try an experiment. Think of that skill that brought you joy and teach a class. This can be as simple as volunteering for the local after school mentoring program. You can volunteer to teach computer literacy classes at the library or read to children. The point is that this experiment doesn’t have to be a big deal. It doesn’t have to be about money, in fact it may be better if it isn’t about money. Just look within yourself and discover something which you have knowledge or which you excel in and then find a way to give it a try. Find a way to teach it to others.

I’ve done this several times in my life. I volunteered to write a review about movies playing at the theatre in our town and wrote a review every week just for the fun of it. It wasn’t paid so the paper was happy to print it and it turned out to be a lark! The girl who checked us out at the grocery store called me, “Mr. Movie” and I gained some small notoriety in town while enjoying movies at a whole new level. The theatre manager invited me to view pictures after the last showing while they were cleaning up. So I no longer had to pay to get into the movies and I could take a friend (usually a daughter) and he even gave us complimentary popcorn. The fun of reviewing movies and talking about them was a great deal of fun.

Recently we hosted a party at our home for some close friends. We taught each of them how to make two stained glass decorations, a pair of hearts were sandblasted into red glass and installed into a wooden frame. Then we made a two piece stained glass heart. Everyone had a great time and we were all successful with our projects. Afterwards, we enthusiastically brainstormed about what other projects we could do. A fellow who is gifted at wood work wondered what project he could teach us and the woman who is a gifted card creator was considering a class. The point is that we all had so much fun leaning and sharing, that we want to do it again.

If you will look around yourself, you will discover an interest and you should find a way to share that interest. Our stained glass studio sends out a free monthly tips and tricks newsletter. We do this because we are interested in stained glass and we like to stay in touch with other artists.

Does it make us rich? No, not at all, but it does make us friends. We get comments and photos from stained glass artists from all over the world! And this fills us with the joy that others have for the art of stained glass. When we started selling stained glass instructional videos and dvd’s on Amazon, we started to hear from a different group of artists. These were folks who were trying stained glass for the first time. And their enthusiasm for the art rekindles the “newness” of the art for us all over again.

Finally, we sometimes discover some very talented people who teach us and inspire us to become even better artists ourselves. There is a synergy that you can develop when you teach others what you know.

Hosting A Stained Glass Party

2010-02-15T19:46:00.006-07:00

It's the middle Of February already! We enjoyed Valentines Day (the day before) by inviting some friends over for a Stained Glass party. It was so much fun, our friends had a great time and really enjoyed the projects.

What we did to make it a success was to select projects that would be very easy and quick to complete. We started with a sand blasted design with two hearts. The glass was pre-cut before they got here and we had the frames pre-built. We introduced the project by showing what the completed project looked like. Then we showed how they would clean the glass, apply the rubber resist and the paper pattern. We then passed out craft knives and turned them loose. The sand blasting step went quickly, each person got to do the first blast as they got ready, then they went back to the table to remove the second heart cutout while other finished theirs.

The second project was a quick two piece heart. This gave each of them a chance to cut, grind, foil and solder glass.

It was so fun, we think we'll do it again and we recommend that you think about hosting one of your own.

Being Enthusiastic

2010-01-22T09:26:00.005-07:00

The other day at a business meeting, I illustrated a point by talking about the gorgeous window we had laying on the bench in our studio. Later, I was told that as I present our message to potential clients, we need to be cautious not to be overly enthusiastic about our artwork.

This was a surprise. Apparently, you can be too enthusiastic and you wear the people out with your enthusiasm. This is funny to me, yet I can see the point. I've met people who wore me out with their energy. But so many of our clients, especially during the first weeks of getting a window, get so excited and happy about their art work, they can't contain themselves. So the lesson I'm learning is that excitement must be limited until the person has experienced it for themselves.

Stained Glass At The Covey Center

2009-12-22T00:18:00.006-07:00

The opening gala of the new show at the Covey Center went off well. You can see Jeanne explaining to some people how the silent auction worked. We raised over a hundred dollars for the Childrens Art Program at the Covey Center. My photo of the artists is incomplete, we posed and then Lynn came back and we took another with someone elses camera.

The show will continue for the rest of the month. We had 24 stained glass pieces that we built last year on display.

New Series Of Women

2009-11-20T08:28:00.004-07:00

This new Series shows four women at various times through out the day. We named each panel after a Greek goddess that was associated with the time of day shown in the scene. The one pictured here is Aurora, who is the goddess of the morning.

We also show Iris who rules the daytime and Persephone goddess of the evening and finally Selene who rules the night. It's fun to research these fictional deities. The Greeks had great stories and descriptions of each of them.

Each of the four panels are loosely based on famous painting and illustrations to give them a more historical, heirloom feel.

I Like Mondays

2009-09-14T11:02:00.002-06:00

No really, I like Mondays! There are so many songs that are negative about the first day of the week, "Monday, Monday can't stand that day.." "Just another Maniac Monday, wish it were Sunday.." You've heard them and believed them. But Monday is the day that we look at the world and the next week with fresh eyes. We take our trash to the street on Monday and it gets hauled away so we get to start over fresh!

And we review our progress from last week and plan for the next week. So it's all about a re-birth, kind of like when the seasons change, but it happens each week. Review the past, plan the future. It's pretty good!

Address Icon For Your Website

2009-08-02T12:16:00.003-06:00

I've wanted one of these little logos next to my website address ever since I first noticed them. Now Favicon has created a site that makes it quite easy to do it. http://www.html-kit.com/favicon/ is the place to learn how to do it.

Websites are funny things

2009-08-02T11:37:00.004-06:00

If you look at the little Google bar on your browser (if you have it) You'll see that little bar that has a bit of green in it. When you hover your mouse over it, you'll see text that announces that the page has an importance rank assigned to it by Google. Several years ago, our little bar announced that we had an importance of 4/10 which was pretty good. But Google changed everything and our rating dropped to 2/10 an okay rating but nothing to brag about.

We hired a company who guarenteed that if we paid them a hundred dollars a month they would help our numbers improve. After one year, our rating was 2/10. So we keep trying to improve on our own, but just haven't found the key.

In the meantime, we continue to provide good content on our website. I post new projects to the Gomm Studos Portfolio Pages often and Better Stained Glass has a new article every month. Maybe those statics just don't mean that much. Please tell your friends about our sites and link up to them so others can enjoy the articles!

Farmers Market In June

2009-06-11T00:28:00.003-06:00

Last weekend we setup at the Provo Farmers Market. We plan to keep going throughout the summer. It was nice to get a chance to talk to people, it wasn't too hard to set up and the weather was nice. A pleasant way to spend a Saturday.

There are so many projects to try!

2009-05-27T01:10:00.002-06:00

There are just so many stained glass projects to try! I often wonder why I haven't done more. There are just so many different ways to work with glass and techniques to practice and get better at, it's just a lifelong practice to dedicate yourself to. I keep finding more things to try, to perfect. What a joy it is to embark on working on new skills and returning to techniques we've put aside for awhile.

We're Working On Sidelites

2009-05-06T23:28:00.004-06:00

They really look great. The client has spent some time in Africa and will be going back after getting some Masters classes in. So there is a distinctive African flavor to the windows. Jeanne had fun hand picking the colors and after we got them cut and fit, she swapped out some of the pieces so the windows would be perfect.

I soldered for a few hours today and have to admit that it was pretty fun!

GLASS show at Terra Nova Gallery

2009-05-02T12:01:00.005-06:00

The place is Terra Nova Gallery, the show is called "Glass" and was put together by Andy Kosorok. This is a really good show, lots of different examples of different glass art (we were the "traditional" example) If you love glass, you'll love this show. The Gallery is at 41 West 300 North, Provo, Utah and the glass show runs from May 1 to June 26, 2009 They are open Monday -Friday 10 am to 6 pm. There will be a LIVE Glass Demonstration Friday June 5, from 6 to 9 pm.

Jewelry Boxes Make Good Gifts

2009-04-29T10:07:00.003-06:00

We stacked up a bunch of Jewelry boxes yesterday when Dallas Golden came over to shot the second video in our project series. He also brought the first draft of the picture frame video. It's very good, just needs to have some sound adjustments. While watching it, I'm amazed that I can see some of the soldering better than in real life. I have to admit that it may be better than our first video. The first took over five years to get complete because we kept having to change people and pick up the project, do a piece and then find someone else. Dallas got this together in less than a month and it looks so good. It's longer than the first video, right at 1 hour.

When You Don't Get The Job

2009-04-25T10:11:00.003-06:00

Okay, some folks are just weird. About two weeks ago, some people called us and made an appointment to come to our studio to talk about a piece of glass. They came and Jeanne and the woman talked about the design they wanted for a stained glass window. They drew a sketch and they picked out all the colors for the window and set them out on a table, ready to cut.

I had a nice time, showing the husband different projects in various stages and telling him about how stained glass was built. So..they left and I drew the design on AutoCAD, sent it to them with a price (around $400). A day or two passed and I called to see when they wanted us to start. Husband was out of town and he'll call when he gets back. A few days go by, I call again. "Oh, I'm not sure what my husband has decided, I'll have him call tonight." We wait. I call mobile phone next day. Husband says we've decide to go a different way. I ask if they've decided against stained glass. "No, but we've decided to go with another company." So I start quizzing the guy because I want to know what lost us the job. I mean we drew drawings immediately to their specifications and were poised to start cutting glass. Maybe it was price..no they are getting the other design done for about $600.

Bottom line, I still don't have a clue why they went with someone else and why they chose to pay more money for a lesser piece of glass. People are really weird. Jeanne says I'm taking this too hard. She points out that we've not gotten jobs before and it just rolled off my back, no big deal. But this time I seem to be taking it to heart. And I guess she's right, but it's just that I can't explain any good reason that these people went with another artist....hmmm

The Chipboard House

2009-04-25T09:59:00.004-06:00

We went to meet a client the other day to measure for stained glass. It was a little surprising when we arrived to the home and found a chipboard box. No finishing details yet. So we're a long way from actually being able to measure for windows. At least we're talking to the home owner early in the project.

Elk Window

2009-04-17T00:55:00.004-06:00

I've metioned the Elk window we've been working on on facebook. It's really looking good. I think the client will really like the great colors. Jeanne spent a lot of time and care picking the colors so they would be realistic.

Platter For Wedding Reception

2009-04-17T00:43:00.004-06:00

We're making some platters so we can make some cupcake stands for Katherine's wedding reception. We thought it would be cool to make them ourselves so that we could put some custom colors into the platters. The two in the foreground are the two largest and were quite complex to create, but they really look good.

A New Look For Our Website

2009-04-14T10:11:00.002-06:00

Every year or so, I get the feeling that things look a little tired on our website and I feel driven to do a makeover on it. So that's what I'm up to now, the photo above is a work in progress, it's not the final new look, but it's a step towards a new look. Content won't change that much, but I'm reorganizing hoping that the flow of the user experience is smoother.
If you want to see the new look as it progresses, go to www.gommstudios.com and click on the temporary link to the working page.

Summer Bear Life Balance

2009-04-10T11:35:00.004-06:00

Here's a screen shot of the opening page when you get to the Summer Bear Site.
Nadhirrah (na-dear-uh)is an author and healty food advocate. We meet each other at many small business functions. Our small business are growing at about the same rate, so we have many concerns in common. I volunteered to write web pages for Nadhirrah several years ago and she took me up on the deal. (The price was right-$0)
She now has announced a facebook group called "Summer Bear" and you can also join "Utah Raw Foods" on facebook.

Picture Frame Video

2009-04-07T19:39:00.003-06:00

Last week we met with Dallas Golden and shot video for an instructional video on "How To Make A Stained Glass Picture Frame." We notice that most stained glass students have from one to three windows in them and then they start to run out of ideas.
This video and subsequent ones are designed to help breathe new life into the art of glass. So we think it will help to inspire stained glass artists to dust off the old tools and make some pieces for their homes and gifts for their friends.

Closet Glass

2009-03-28T01:15:00.003-06:00

We had the Art Nuevo window we built in Nov/Dec in our front window. But now we're ready to put it in the space that we made it for. So we took it out of our front window and placed it in the window in our bedroom closet. It took awhile, we had to clear the area out and modify the window to fit. I took it and placed it in the window this evening. I still have to put in some hooks, but it's so good because it gives us a new level of privacy. And the window still lets in plenty of light.

More "Hope" Stars - the mini size

2009-03-27T00:24:00.004-06:00

We decided that we needed to make some little "Hope" stars. These are so very cute and I'm glad because I was up till about 4 in the morning stacking them together so they could be fired. Hours later, we were able to look at them and most were successful. Now we plan to make some this size with clear glass behind them, to avoid edges, so they will be suitable for children.

There is something happy and whimsical about these little stars that fill you with hope and joy.

Katherines Cake Topper

2009-03-27T00:17:00.004-06:00

Katherine is very original and Scott is a good sport. She wants a certain topper for her wedding cake, but hasn't seen one, so she's making her own. She made one yesterday out of playdough so she can model the one which will be made out of something more durable.

The "Hope" Fused Star Necklace -Mar 2009

2009-03-25T09:37:00.002-06:00

This month, it took forever to get the newsletter out. This, because we needed to write a new article from scratch. Why? Because we really wanted to feature the "Hope" necklace.

To us, it seems like the country is filled with naysayers who are trying to convince us that bad times are here and they are only going to get worse. But we choose to believe in HOPE and we're sure that good times never really left and that better times are just around the corner. It's all a state of mind and we want to promote that sentiment with the HOPE necklace.

Click on the title above to go to the article. Click Here to go to our Etsy store and order one.

Cultured Sea Glass-Mostly Colored-On Etsy

2009-03-20T09:57:00.003-06:00

We are proud of the "cultured sea glass" we make. We came on the idea when a student suggested it. A rock tumbler and a little experimenting later, we made our first batch. It's been for sale for a while in our glass store (click here)

Now we've added it to our Etsy store (click here) but it's strange because many folks seem to be doing a fine business on Etsy, but for us to date, we haven't yet sold anything and our grandson Landon who has been doing it longer, has yet to sell anything (click for his store).

Charm School

2009-03-18T10:55:00.005-06:00

We taught Melanie how to make charms because she wanted to make them as a business. Now, that pays off for us, because she has offered us a chance to solder charms for her to keep up with orders! These are the same type of charms that we offer kits for (click here to see kits) Melanie has a flair for design and marketing that is world class. We hope that hanging with her and her organization will let some of that talent rub onto us!

So we went by the other day and the girls showed us how they make charms, just like we do. It's a little strange, first we teach Melanie how to make charms, then she creates a charm business and then, when I told her we were working on a video on how to make charms, she got a little upset. In her mind, she taught us how to make them not the other way around...weird

Having Fun Building Glass Panel

2009-03-13T00:01:00.003-06:00

Working on this divider is great fun, you can see that Lynde and Jeanne are having a great time. Look at the window, it's coming right along. We finished cutting out all the clear Artique background and cut some pink for some of the flowers. We're going to hold off till Lynde's folks get a chance to look at it Saturday so they can have have input into the color palete of the panel.

We Went To The Big Business Fair

2009-03-11T21:04:00.003-06:00

We went to the BIG Business Fair today. It will be held tommorrow as well. It's a yearly event sponsered by the Orem/Provo Chamber of Commerce. This year we didn't hear from as many of our small business friends about the fair and saw very few of them there.
We try to gather pens each year as a kind of game to force ourselves to visit every booth and I really do try to make connections with people that might be able to help our business grow. But, it's getting hard to find new faces and new companies. We find that we've attended so many that the fair is becoming predictable. Dexter & Dexter Attorneys will be handing out pizza at the entrance and we appreciate that.

But we really try to listen to each exhibitor, to get to what they really have to offer and hope to make one or two good contacts. All in all it was a valuable experience today and we did come home with a few pens!

Working On A Window For Lynde Mott

2009-03-10T22:49:00.005-06:00

We are really having fun working on this divider panel for Lynde Mott. She is going to install it in her parents home between two rooms and then she will paint a beautiful mural which will extend out from the scene in the window.

Her Dad wonders if they deserve such a wonderful piece of art in their home. Lynde assures them that they're worth it!

Keepin On With The Work

2009-03-08T23:53:00.004-06:00

Things have been slow recently. January and February have been slow at times in the past, but business has been more slow than usual.
So we've been taking this time to work on projects that we've wanted to do in the past and see if they might develop into something worthwhile. Jeanne has been working on her Mandala Pattern Book, the photo is a drawing of her "Tree of Life" mandala.
Our DVD is available on Amazon now and you can even order it from our website by clicking here and so we've done some preliminary work on another one. Why is it that everytime we try to work on another element of video instruction, we always seem to need another piece of equipment. Maybe we'll eventually have it all!

Etsy Store

2009-03-05T11:17:00.004-07:00

A few weeks ago, there was an article about Etsy in the Daily Herald Sunday paper. They made it sound so easy and simple to sell your art, that we decieded we better advertise on Etsy.

Last summer, Landon and Christy started an Etsy store for him (click here to go to it) So we had some idea that it wasn't going to be an easy, overnight success that the newspaper article seemed to imply. But it does look really good and they have a little code that let me put the items we have for sale right on our website (click here to see it). So we're giving Etsy a try!

"Falling In Place," The Stained Glass Cube

2009-01-30T13:26:00.005-07:00

We spent several days building "Falling In Place," The Stained Glass Cube." It was a fun challenge, coming up with a concept that would show the steps of creation for a show in February. Around the outside of the box are the words "Imagine, Create, Share and Inspire." These are the words which describe the process of the creative cycle. On the bottom of the base is a paper pattern with poster patterns placed on top of the print. This demonstrates how we start with a paper pattern and then cut out cardboard pattern pieces to be able to trace the glass outline. There are seven pieces of glass that have been cut out, inside the cube at different heights to look as if they are being placed onto the pattern. The first couple of pieces are cut and ground, the next are cut, ground and foiled and the last have been foiled and soldered to give the impression of the steps that the construction will follow. On top of the box is the completed panel.

Getting Close to publishing our DVD

2008-12-31T11:41:00.007-07:00

I couldn't have done it without a lot of help from friends. Ammon Ehrisman did almost all of the production. But when he was getting ready to move, he just ran out of time and washed his hands of the project. I can't say that I blame him, because it really took a long time to get this project complete. His website is www.3squaremedia.com/ He does excellent work and I wish him well in his ventures.

After Ammon left, Micheal Drebot took a crack at getting the video in shape for publication. He was going to do more, but the guy who was expert in Adobe editing first wanted too much money and then moved. But Micheal did get it into the format that we sold for awhile. Micheal's website is www.imagehiker.com

Finally, I persuaded Cammon Randle of CopperRain to help with the video. He took pity on me and did work for a fraction of his normal charges. He cleaned up some problems with the video and then created "chapters" on the DVD so that people can easily skip from one spot to the next. His website is www.copperrain.com

To get the great artwork for the DVD, we did it ourselves several times and then we turned to the talents of Mark Ishii. He was able to help us come up with a more professional look while keeping the ideas we had that were good. His website is www.ishiidesign.com He really was a big help and we feel the money spent was worth it.

So finally, we're publishing the DVD and it will be sold on Amazon, another electronic store and our own site www.betterstainedglass.com-videos But it's not there yet, we have to send the DVD via mail to the production company. But we do expect to see it for sale by the end of January (which to me is record time!)

How To Sandblast Stained Glass

2008-12-17T11:54:00.003-07:00

Sandblasting stained glass requires as much pre-planning as any other stained glass project. Select your glass and your pattern before starting.

Sand carving glass is a great decorative method when you need more detail than is easy in conventional stained glass. Sign lettering is a good example. Also it's a good way to get paint to stick to glass, see The Painted Leaf project.

Click here to read the entire article.

Art Show

2008-12-07T19:51:00.004-07:00

I've got to admit that I was getting tired just before the Art show. We had to handhold and babysit several of our artist friends. I even told the director of shows at the Covey Center that I wasn't ever going to do this again (meaning being in charge of all the artists). She said something like, "Until next year."

I balked at the idea until things started coming together and by the 5th, the night of the opening of the show, I was starting to feel pretty good about things. So now I'm recharged and we're thinking about what the show next year will be about. We're even planning pieces of art for it.

If you happen by the Covey Center for the Arts, located at 425 West Center Street in Provo, Utah, you ought to stop by and see the show. They are open from 10 to 5, Monday through Friday and then have additional hours in the evenings and Saturdays when other events are scheduled. It will be going through January 2nd.

To see pictures of the show, you just need to go to facebook.com and find me and look at the photos. While you're there, become my friend!

The December Newsletter

2008-11-27T09:41:00.004-07:00

We add a new article every month, this month we teach How To Trim And Cut A Stained Glass Panel That's Too Long. It's a technique that you don't need often, but when you do need it...it comes in handy!

You'll need to click on the link to read the article.

Don't miss the Show at the Covey Center For The Arts..if you're anywhere close. It will be ongoing From December 5th till January 2nd. Learn More at http://www.coveycenter.org/ or call the Ticket Office for Information: 801-852-7007 to know times and dates. We'll be displaying several pieces and many of our friends are in the show.
Plan to visit the artists at the reception on Dec 5th from 7pm to 9 pm.

Getting Ready For An Art Show

2008-11-08T11:34:00.005-07:00

We are working on preparations for an art show in December at The Covey Center For The Arts. Usually, we just work on the art and someone else puts the show together, but we did a show last year at the center, so we didn't have enough new work to carry the whole thing. So we deceided to invite friends who are artists to be in the show.

Have you ever noticed that many very creative people are also very flaky? You would think that at least artists who make a living at their art would be somewhat organized, but that isn't the case.

I called several friends to see why they hadn't responded to the invitation. The answer? Oh I opened that e-mail but didn't have time to read it!

Then there were the worriers, what kind of art can it be, how big should it be, what medium should I use, can it be mixed media, where is it, detail, detail and more detail? On and on, I just want to say call me when you make a decision.

It's been really fun to work out the problems. We've lined up some really wonderful pieces. And the show will really be great!

The official name of the show is “A Collective Season Of Joy”. It will run from December 5th to December 29th, 2008. And if you want to meet the artists, you should come to it on the 5th, same day as the gallery stroll downtown. There will be refreshments that evening. It's at The Covey Center For The Arts, 425 West Center Street, Provo, Utah 84601

How To Put Metal Around An Octagon Shaped Panel

2008-11-08T11:22:00.004-07:00

We sometimes find it useful to put 1/8" "U" zinc around a panel. It can be used as a permanent frame on panels where the gap between pieces of glass on the edge are less than 5" apart. One of the things we find 1/8" metal useful for is in strengthening a panel with a weak design that we have to ship off for someone else to install. The 1/8" zinc adds enough extra to keep the panel from "folding" up. Click here to read the rest of the article with pictures.

Internet Hide and Seek

2008-10-09T14:08:00.002-06:00

In the movie "Field Of Dreams" a voice whispers from the fields that says, "If you build it, they will come." And that was my belief a long time ago when I first created a web site. I thought that if I made a web site that was full of good information, people who were interested in stained glass would find it and we would build a community of stained glass enthusiasts.

But unfortunately, that hasn't been the case. The search engines, Google, Yahoo and Ask are the resources that Internet users have to find web sites and information. You would think that it would be easy for these engines to find your website and realize that it is so good, lots of people will want to see it.

But then competition enters the picture. See, everybody else thinks their website is the best. So the engines have to figure out ways to rank the websites they find and figure which ones people find useful. They do a pretty good job. It becomes a kind of popularity contest.

The popular become popular and the obscure stay obscure. So we hired an SEO (search engine optimization) company and they took money from us for a year. Our popularity is the same as it was before.

But the other day I realized that I must be doing something right. Even though very few people seem to be visiting our web sites (27,380 and 23,321 and 4,168) I am starting to get a lot more junk e-mail. This means that someone found my e-mail address and put in on a junk list. So, someone's finding us!

How To Cut A Tight Curve In Stained Glass

2008-10-09T13:59:00.003-06:00

This technique works with tight curves.

These are pieces of glass where the curve is radical enough that the tips of the glass break off using conventional methods....click here to read the comple article with pictures

October-The Magic Begins

2008-10-04T18:42:00.002-06:00

I just LOVE October. The temperature starts to change! The studio has a crisp, clean feeling. It's more fun to be out in the studio building works of art and we begin to look forward to the holiday trifecta, first Halloween, then Thanksgiving and finally Christmas. We hear the little clicks of the Kiln warming up as we cook another creation and we smell the rain outside the studio.

And so, we begin to turn towards the making of ornaments and gifts, all of which can be beautifully made in stained glass. If you haven't already made the Ornaments listed on our website, resolve to try them this year. You can find them at http://www.gommstudios.com/mapnews/ornament/ornament.htm
The more we do ..the more fun we have ..The more fun we have ..The more we want to do..

How To Cut Stained Glass Without A Pattern

2008-09-04T18:59:00.003-06:00

To cut a window without using a pattern will save you a good deal of time if the design is fairly simple.

This technique works best when the glass being cut is very translucent. Opaque glass requires a light box and a pattern with very dark lines to be able to use this technique.
to read the rest of this article..click on the link on the title

How To Clean Corrosion Off Of Stained Glass

2008-08-04T18:50:00.003-06:00

Look carefully at many stained glass windows and you can see that there corrosion is on the edge of the soldered lead line. This leads us to believe that most corrosion is caused by flux or patina which slowly leaks out from under the lead over time.

There are likely other causes of corrosion. Salt water in the air near the ocean may be a cause and there may even be some type of mold that can form on lead, but this fix will work on all of those causes.
to read the rest of this article..click on the link on the title

How To Build A Jig To Help Cut Bevels

2008-07-03T00:41:00.002-06:00

When creating stained glass, it comes in handy to be able to use tools to cut multiple pieces so they are uniform each time. It's quite easy to create a jig for cutting beveled stained glass, and it can be used for years. A jig is a fixture that can be used to speed up repetitive tasks.

Start with a small board and a piece of wood strip for the strip cutter edge. It should be the same size as the strip you install on your work bench, only shorter (the length of the board for the jig). The cleat is approximately 3/4" X 1-1/2".

Put some glue on the strip before attaching the strip.
to read the rest of this article..click on the link on the title

Pricing Stained Glass

2008-07-03T00:28:00.004-06:00

Before I could write this article, I had to do some serious soul searching, because this information is a trade secret. So I had to ask myself if I really believe all that stuff about competition being a bad illusion and do I believe there's really enough for all..if so, I could go on with the article. So here it is, a testament to the fact that I DO believe my own philosophies......

Of all the questions that I get from new stained glass artists, the one that is most often asked and probably the most important is, "How do you price stained glass?"

And there is no easy answer, because we are all coming from a different place. The home hobbyist who has no overhead doesn't have to charge as much as the struggling artist who has to pay for materials and utilities and studio space. Established studios need to cover employee benefits and often have miscommunication which leads to re-work.

So how do we value glass work? In our studio, we've come up with a formula that has been tweaked over time. When we started back in 1983, a friend in the business charged $3 for each piece of glass in a window and we figured that we could make a living at that level. After we moved to Utah and discovered that the cost of living was so much higher, we first tried to price glass at $5 per piece and then went to $10 per piece. When metals doubled and shipping costs began to rise we once again shifted our pricing upwards. Each time we've raised the price of stained glass, we've had to get used to the new price. When I first charged $10 per piece, I felt very selfish and greedy, but as time went on and we found that our profits were only modest and not unfair, the price seemed right. Now, if I were to charge that price, I would feel the client was getting a tremendous deal!

Today, July 2008, we charge $15 for each piece of glass in a window. We don't worry about material costs, the formula covers all costs. We don't worry how big the window is or how little the pieces are. If we do multiples of the same design or designs that require no pattern, we often offer a discount, the wholesale rate, which is half the retail price.

With this formula we are able to easily estimate the material costs of a window, they will be 10 to 20% of the retail price of the panel. And when material costs once again rise up above that 20% mark, we'll know it's time to raise prices again.

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We do make mistakes at times. Jeanne and I were recently measuring a window for a woman. She had called and described a geometric design she wanted for $400 and when we got there she was talking about an art glass panel. And she still only wanted to pay $400. I began to explain how art glass results in much more waste of glass and would have gone on building value into the art glass price, when Jeanne said, "I think we could build it for that price." So we did. That piece should have been $2000 and I had heartburn all the time it was in our shop, so we just built it as fast as we could so we wouldn't have to think about it. After all was said and done, we broke even on the piece, so at least we didn't lose on it!

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A word about the philosophy of pricing. We aren't solely motivated by money. We could choose many, many different businesses to go into which would pay us handsomely for our labor. If money is your goal, you really ought to consider a different endeavor because even the most successful of stained glass artists only achieve a modest bank account.

That said, there are a couple of reasons that you need to charge enough. First and foremost, if you don't make a profit, you can't buy more glass. I have to admit, a new pallet of glass really motivates me to work hard and complete a project. It sometimes seems that every extra dime we make goes toward expanding our palette and supply of glass.

Second, if you sell too cheap, you cheapen the industry. Cheap sun catchers sprinkled around home improvement centers get people in the mindset that stained glass is a cheap commodity, not a piece of art. Contrast that to the impact that a well priced, prominent work of art in a civic center adds to the perception and value of stained glass art as a whole. When we as a community cheapen the art, we lose. When we as a community of artists add value to the art, all stained glass art becomes more valuable.

It's one of the reasons that we try to stay away from sun catchers and gifty, throwaway items and we concentrate on pieces that become part of the homes and business they go into, becoming treasured heirlooms that enhance the value of their setting.

We never, ever compete on price with another artist. In fact, if we have a client who wants to get competitive bids from several artists, I usually don't bother giving them a bid, even though our studio prices tend to be 25% lower than other studios. You may wonder why I have this attitude. I just don't like to be thrown into a competitive arena. We do good work. We provide exceptional value. And there is enough work out there (even in hard times) that there is enough to go around. So I would rather spend my time creating beautiful works rather than bidding on lowest cost projects. The few times we've gotten into competition on a project, even though we got the job, the victory was hollow. We didn't get paid the right price, the work wasn't satisfying and the joy just wasn't there. Besides that, there are many times when those bidding wars result in no one getting the job. They often decide that window glass would be cheaper!

There is a tendency in the art world to get a twinge of jealousy going when we see others work. We compare our work to theirs, think how we would have done it better and wish that we had gotten a chance to do that project. But if we get outside ourselves and feel joy for the success of the artist who did the work and realize that they are contributing to the community consciousness of art glass, then we'll feel the right way towards the art of others. We may even make some new friends!

Stained Glass and Diabetes

2008-06-23T10:35:00.002-06:00

In 1983 I started a stained glass studio. Sometime in the first year, Alice came into the studio and asked if I thought she could do stained glass. She confided that she had diabetes and it kept her from doing some things. I gave her a simple glass cutting test which she did well and pronounced her able to do stained glass. Her husband got interested and the two of them had a great deal of fun building beautiful stained glass for their home.

Years later, I discovered that I had diabetes and it explained many troubling things in my life. I had a tendency to get colds and they lasted for a VERY long time which led to a mental fog or even depression. That had led to being undependable at work. All that time, I had thought I was a bad employee and it was partly a problem brought on by a medical condition.

Knowing that I was diabetic let light into my life. I could learn to live with and manage the problem. So when my boss asked me to come back to work for him (after being laid off twice) I turned him down. I had started back into the stained glass business, first part-time and then full-time. I knew that this was the solution to my erratic behavior. As my own boss, I find that I can get in 8 hours or more a day. Sometimes my day starts early, at a normal time and sometimes my day doesn't start till noon, but I can get the hours I need in.

When I'm having a bad week, I don't go on sales calls. Knowing that I have a medical condition allows me to let go of a lot of negative self talk.

I learned that I had diabetes in 2003 and have to visit the doctor regularly. This month, June 2008, I discovered that there is a weekly show for diabetics on CNBC. It's called DLIFE and it's quite good. Imagine, a show where you actually watch all the commercials because they have information you want to know! And It's been on the air for 3 years! How could I have missed it for that long?

If you know someone with diabetes, you should send them to watch CNBC and have them go to the website www.dlife.com it's another resource for dealing with diabetes and they will be impressed with all the famous people who are sucessfully dealing with this disease.

Movie Recommend

2008-06-13T14:25:00.003-06:00

What does that have to do with stained glass? Well, sometimes, even though it's fun and even though we have good projects running, we hit a bump in the road. This month, our finances have scraped the road a couple of times and our bank, Wells Fargo isn't going to be our bank much longer because they make things worse for us. (Don't get me started!)

So, to avoid the wretched feeling that being temporarily broke gives me, I watched a movie.

Elizabethtown is a great movie! I had no preconceived ideas about it, no idea what it was about. The soundtrack is great! When it was over, I said, "No Wonder," when I saw who wrote and directed it.

New Video Links

2008-06-07T09:53:00.003-06:00

With the help of Cammon at CopperRain, we now have a YouTube account. What this means is that now when you click the links on our home page,
www.gommstudios.com and scroll down to the video/media links, you can actually play the video clips.

You can try it by clicking on the title of this article.

Wondering If I Need More Friends

2008-06-07T09:47:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, Jeanne and Katherine went camping, an overnighter. It's a funny thing, I go to the store by myself all the time, but somehow, when everybody's gone at home, I feel alone, strange!

So, since I was alone, I thought I might as well finish that tiling job in the bathroom. I called Christopher and told him I needed a friend, with a grout trowel. But he had loaned it to someone and he had a ball game to go to.

So, I either need a backup friend or a new stained glass project.

Learning To Use A T-Square Cutter

2008-06-04T21:52:00.003-06:00

In our June Newsletter article I wrote about using a T-square cutter. They really are a great tool. They aren't an absolute necessity for a beginner, but they make things so much easier, that if you plan to do many windows at all, they are a great investment.

I'm making a break here, I used to post the whole article, but if you're interested in the whole article, you'll be better off clicking on the link at the top and reading the article with all of the photos.

How To Cut Stained Glass #1 May 2008

2008-05-17T00:49:00.005-06:00

To learn to cut stained glass, it's helpful to begin with the proper tools. We start with a good quality glass cutter.
First, know that a hardware store glass cutter isn't good enough. Why, you ask? Because the wheel isn't carbide, it's steel, so it doesn't last long and because the wheel is ground to score window glass, but not all the hardness/brittleness ratings that you'll encounter cutting stained glass.

Click the link on the title of this entry to go to the illustrated version of this article.

Two Kinds Of People

2008-05-04T18:18:00.003-06:00

Have you ever noticed that there are two distinct kinds of people? The first group is suspicious of others and secretive and the second group is open and generous. Jeanne and I have discussed this phenomenon several times. Have you ever noticed that as people get old, they either get nicer or meaner.

We finally decided that the reason for this is that people either believe that it's a "dog eat dog" world where we're all in competition for any little scrap, or they are open because they believe that there is enough for everyone, that there will always be enough for all.

People in the competitive frame of mind are secretive because they suspect that everyone is out to steal all their secrets and take away their business. So stained glass artists in that group are unlikely to help others to learn the trade. They jealously guard against losing their trade secrets, forgetting that somehow they were trained by others to learn what they know. Maybe they had to steal what they know and that's why they are so afraid that others want to steal from them.

The people we like are those who believe that there is an abundance in life, that the universe was created along such rules that when we as, we receive and that there is enough for all. They remember that others helped them to learn their trade and were willing to share with them, so they are willing and often anxious to share with others.
We are not so naive that we don't recognize that we can't share everything! We don't reveal those things that took us a long time to develop or make us more competitive in the market place. These are not secrets as much as they are "trade secrets." A drug company that works on a new formula would be foolish to reveal it to their competitors before it was patented. So, there's a time and a place for everything, but Jeanne and I both feel that it's better to be more generous. We believe that generous people are rewarded with generosity from the universe.

Another Happy Install

2008-04-23T12:43:00.003-06:00

It is so much fun to go on certain installs. When the client is there and thrilled with our work, it really is fun. Yesterday, we installed three transom windows. Cindi really liked them, we know this because she kept repeating every sentence three times. "I love it, love it, love it." "They look better than I imagined, they really look better than I imagined they would, I can't believe it, they look so much better than I ever imagined!"

It really was fun for us to see and hear her reaction. We try not to do installs, because they take up so much time and many times it's better handled by those who have the tools. That's why we never install insulated units, we let professional installers we work with do the installs.

The great thing about working with Cindi is that she knew what she wanted, she was decisive on her decisions and when we delivered early, she was so happy. She is one of those 80% customers who are easy to work with, love the design, love the price, everything goes so smoothly that the job is easy. The only drawback is that because everything goes so smoothly, you almost forget these type of clients easily. It's the ones that make life miserable for you that we remember. Why is that?

Salmon Swim Upstream

2008-04-19T15:09:00.004-06:00

Every day, the news is full of bleak reports of economic downturns. The bad stories and negative images is enough to make a person give up hope (that's why they called it the Great DEPPRESSION). With the trials that the building trades have experienced, I confess that I’ve even given thought to taking work as a tech writer again and putting stained glass on part-time.

But, successful people advise that when times are tough, there is greater opportunity. It's a time when the weak players are shaken out and the way is clear for innovative companies to succeed and forge new paths.

Salmon swim upstream, we can too! So, even though we're late, we went ahead and mailed off our application (and fees) so we can be an official part of the Parade Of Homes this year. We've been in homes three of the last four years, but we've never felt prepared to make the $450 commitment to actually join the homebuilders association. But, since we want to be Salmon and not guppies, we went ahead and joined.

We're also working on mailings to send out to potential clients. I've bought some lists so I better start sending something out!

Now these two little baby steps may sound small, but the only real money we've ever spent on advertising has been on yellow page ads and an on-line web program that didn't really do us any good. So these activities could far out-stretch our previous efforts.

Last year we made less money than the year before, but we were working on a donated project which took a lot of our earnings time away. I think if we buckle down and really market ourselves, we'll either get results or find new ways to get results.

How To Shorten A Stained Glass Panel

2008-04-01T09:58:00.006-06:00

I felt like a transom window I was building was wrong, but each time I checked the measurements we took, they were right on. When we showed up to deliver the windows, it was obvious that it was too long. So I had to shorten it to fit.

To go to the article with all the pictures, click on the link on the title of this entry.