d c stained glass :: debbie's shed

A Lancashire lass was marrying a Canadian in Hong Kong and the piece was to be transported in a suitcase….oh and it was needed within the month!

Ummmm, something to get the old grey matter churning…..and quick.

So I hit google images and when spotting an old Lancashire battalion piece of memorabilia I had a lightbulb moment of “A Hybrid!”….”Yes, yes a plant that blooms with roses and its leaves will be that of the maple…….created from love so entwined with hearts….YES, yes, a truly new original…..genius!”

Georgina, (the customer) was hesitant but trusted me. So happy with the strong images and shapes I had found I begun constructing the elements.

And then the new hybrid met Susan! (Anyone Looking for Susan??)

“She wants that!” she exclaimed, “But it reminds me of those nodding plants from Blackpool”. (Susan is nothing if not honest – haha)

So a deflated me went back to the drawing board and head scratching…..

See, my problem from the outset had been that I was rebelling against the traditional when faced with the very traditional imagery…… (sometimes I am my own worst enemy – trying so very hard to be different)

Now, with the elements before me in their beautiful shades and natural shapes…….the simple and pretty end result presented itself.

So off it goes to Hong Kong and beyond, happy customers, happy couple, happy me and another lesson learnt…(both in design and construction!)

….As did you notice my new technique of engraving…. Wow , thanks to the generous and knowledgable Barbara Winkfield in the village and the loan of her kit.

I used flasehd glass to make the Lancashire Rose, (which basically means I was able to remove the top red flash of glass using Barbara’s engraving tool to expose the clear glass beneath). Simples!!.? (Yeah right. I have a long way to go. Methinks Barbara might get sick of the sight of me.) Next on my wanted list could well be a wee dremell……..and ear plugs to accompany of course!

Isn’t glass an amazing material……….the possibilities really are endless.

A sneak preview before next weekend of the latest things from debbie’s Shed…………

Come and see me and my friends at Venue 8, 13 Shore Road, Silverdale, LA5 0TP

Opening Hours Friday 26 June 1-8

Saturday and Sunday 27-28 10:30-5:30

www.silverdalearttrail.co.uk

Wire has caught my attention and paint has completely grabbed it!

I have returned to my favourite and original bird, the oystercatcher. But time has moved on and I have progressed and this time I have used paint to capture its markings. I built up layer upon layer of paint (with my fingers-crossed) in the hopes that the bird wouldn’t look too flat and although I wasn’t happy with my first firing I am totally happy with the finished piece now. (I applied an extra even layer of paint and refired). The bold black and white markings with the clear red beak now look just right.

But I wanted to take my favourite bird one step further again.

I wanted to create a piece that would capture how I see them now out on the bay. Moving around and feeding as one big happy group.

So after recently attending two wire courses and investing quite heavily in some rather gorgeous new materials I decided to set upon making wire silhouettes. The silhouettes would hopefully add movenment and depth of field.

And oh how I love bending this wire! I have worked with willow in the past making baskets and sculptures and in comparison wire is just so damn biddable. (Obviously you can’t beat the smell of willow and it would still feature in my list of top 5 favourite materials…but wire….ooooh-ooooh, I am loving this wire).

I appear to like bending things to my will. (Ummmmm, what does that say about me!?)

And then the most perfect piece of wood to mount my birds on. I just love this chunk of composite wood. The layers that have been built by man, with a patina that has been added by the sea. (And just the occasional stripe of red – pure genius).

Flipping gorgeous. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Raised a few eyebrows when i walked down the beach with this earlier!

Yes, one of the greatest things about my job is the lovely people you get to meet! They wander into my studio to view and appraise, sometimes purchase and sometimes commission. I love the chat. Their stories are fantastic and the commissions I get are second to none.

Lynne walked into my shed a couple of months ago after Peter, my old tutor, had pointed her in my direction. Turns out Lynne is one very special lady. She is one of those individuals that moves people; inspires people….leaves an impression on you. She’s extraordinary.

Lynne is making a commemorative panel for a friend of hers and she wanted a little help from me with some painted sections that would form a centre-piece. They would be circular in shape and should include the motifs of a Robin and Bluebells and, a Hummingbird and Daffodil.

I came up with some nice compositions then built up the images using layers of vitreous paint on pale green cathedral glass. The pieces were fired  and then came the tricky bit….adding colour using enamels. My experience is this department was slim and I was worried about spoiling what I had already created. But I stuck to the manual and tested and tested and tested.

(Oh and i realised the importance of testing!…….peely-custard or what!!)

Once I was happy, and Lynne too, I set to adding the final touches – a brush of colour here and there and w-hey, they worked!

See what I mean, she’s an inspiration.

This is Steve the Gardener’s favourite story and I owed it to him to capture it in glass.

(Steve chops up all my firewood for me – he is a very good man).

We chatted….and I drew. (Steve was quite particular about the details and was sure of the part of the story he wanted me to portray).

I selected some lovely special bits of handmade glass. My aim was to keep the glass shapes simple and let the painting tell the story….. I loved doing this story-telling by painting.

Pop it in the kiln – oooooh, just fits!

A bit of ‘forging’ to make the curlicue waves……..

And then finish it off with a bit of wood collected from the bottom of the sea!

Yes, just take a glance across to the right of your screen….can you see my new ‘widget’!?!

Yes, Debbie’s Shed is now on Etsy – the worldwide marketplace for arts and crafts. If you pick the image you will be taken to my shop…….but don’t go just yet, let me tell you what’s been happening.

I figured that now I have my own kiln I could make an endless supply of wee dangly items and I so love making my wee birds why shouldn’t I share them with the world. Everyone of them is different……I set out with  a lose plan in my head but really I am just doodling on the birds and making it up as I go – enjoying the whole mark-making bit.

And then for a bit of variety in my shop I have selected one or two other small items that too, are easy to post. Following a photo shoot in the garden, (this sunny weather is fab!) I spent a few hours loading up the files and there you have it….and I am delighted to have already had my first sale – yippee!

Debbie’s Shed is now set to take over the world! (Or at least brighten up one or two windows!)

What a start to my bucket list!
Up until about a week ago I didn’t know that “this” would be on my bucket list…….(well really, I didn’t even have a bucket list). ……But flipping heck, now it should be everyone’s bucket list.
What am I talking about?

Driving a tractor of course! Yes, a huge, big flaming red Massey Ferguson.
It is/was majestic.
I’d like to say it handled like a dream but I’d be lying. I was shook around like a sack of spuds but I tell you what, you can point it at almost anything. And my mate John made me!
I had my maiden voyage last Thursday when John launched me at the shoreline….”But……but…..” stuttered I. John was having none of it.

“Shuttup woman and get behind that wheel.”

So I was off. Negotiating bridges and gullies on the bank of the River Kent like I was born to it. (A friend said to me, “yes, I can imagine you driving a tractor”….Ummmmm, not sure what that says about me? But hey-ho).

About seven tonnes of driftwood we collected that day, and same again yesterday. That is a lot of wood. First we had to drag it and chop it and then hurl it into the trailer. John scoffed at my accuracy getting close to the piles of wood at first….”You’ll learn”, he said.

I often get asked where I find all my driftwood on which to mount my birds and animals. “Oh I just pick up the odd bit here and there,” I casually answer.

If they could see me now!

And the reward at the end…..flask and a flapjack with the best view ever and Milly cleaning up the crumbs.

Oh and the best thing about collecting wood (besides getting to drive the tractor!)…….

Makes you sleep like a log!! (ha-ha-ha….sorry!!) zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.