Maker Stories

Diving into Holly Hansen’s Winning Artwork

March 3, 2015

Simplistic as it may be, I firmly believe in Isak Dinesen’s philosophy that “the cure for anything is salt water – sweat, tears, or the sea.” I am happiest when soaking up vitamin D near any body of water. Growing up in south Florida triggered my deep love for the ocean and my fascination with marine life. Though I’ve grown to appreciate all landscapes, there’s no environment that I find more restorative than a pristine beach.

I was inevitably captivated by Swimming III, Holly Hansen’s winning Art Design Challenge entry. I was not surprised to learn that the young artist grew up around Cape Cod. Her ability to effortlessly reflect the layers of the ocean from dawn to dusk suggests that she shares a similar affinity for the sea shore. This piece made me feel instantly nostalgic for the days where I’ve freely floated in the ocean like a mermaid, trusting the waves to flow my body along the beach until my sun-kissed skin turned pruney at sunset. It’s because of this nostalgia that I admire the reason behind Holly’s decision to use a monotype method for this piece: its spontaneity allowed her to “let go of a lot of control” and gain more flexibility. This piece is an experiment that worked…swimmingly! At it’s core, it’s such a refreshing example of the dynamic energy within this beloved landscape. Read on to meet Art Design Challenge Winner Holly Hansen, and learn about her artistic influences, her go-to inspiration triggers, and her uncanny knack for spotting four-leaf clovers.

How did you come up with the concept of your winning piece?
Swimming III is the final piece of a triptych. With this series, I focused on creating mood and atmosphere in my landscapes in ways I hadn’t attempted before. Previously, I worked primarily in etching, but for this series I chose monotype for its spontaneity. I was able to work with landscape in a refreshing and flexible way. With such a responsive medium, I could let go of a lot of control. The series was an experiment, but it sent me off in the right direction.

Can you tell us 3 fun, random facts about yourself?
1. I am THE BEST at finding four leaf clovers. I will take any challengers, especially since people have given up on looking with me.

2. Most of us are familiar with synesthesia, that scene in Ratatouille where Remy sees dancing colors when he eats something delicious. I have visual motion-to-sound synesthesia. It’s like having sound effects to everything I can see, that only I can hear. Almost like a cartoon.

3. I’m 23 and I still order Shirley Temples at bars.

What different techniques do you use when creating your art?
I am very attracted to mark making. A large portion of creating an image is finding the most exciting pairs of marks to sit next to each other. I use several different tools to create marks. I push myself the most when I’m drawing. I try many techniques to push myself out of my comfort zone. At one point I was standing above my desk with a .005mm Micron pen taped to my longest brush, drawing on a 22” x 40” piece of printmaking paper. Whether it’s flying through drawing after drawing, or having four pieces of Bristol taped to the desk and one palette of gouache, nothing was said in one articulate statement. It feels more like pulling adjectives out of no where and throwing in nouns you had no idea mattered to you in a stuttering, clumsy, and heartfelt argument. After all that’s said and done, I have the right momentum to approach my primary piece at that time.

Describe your workspace.
I made Swimming III while I was still in school, and could utilize their extensive print shop 24/7. Now I’m just working at my desk at home or out in observation. I don’t have access to a print studio, but things are much more spontaneous and open minded. I’m in a phase where I’m less focused on creating finished images as finding new things that interest me. I went through a phase where I was picking up whatever fabric I had left on the ground near my desk and scanning it. It’s just a baby seal plush and some fake furs pressed against glass, but I’m having so much fun.

Who or what are your influences?
Anyone who is really pushing themselves to make something they haven’t done before. In that way, I studied the way artists progressed over time, specifically focusing on Sally Mann and Andrew Wyeth. You could do the same with with Miley Cyrus or Taylor Swift. I love seeing the determination and passion in those who seek growth.

Can you walk us through the step by step process of creating Swimming III?
Swimming III was specifically a search for different ways to use a large roller to create an image in monotype. Instead of using a small roller to cover the plexi, or a large roller in one big sweep, I challenged myself. I found the biggest roller I could physically hold. Doubling back and layering with the roller unintentionally led to the four distinct segments of the piece. The series involved several experiments with a large roller, each piece having multiple layers of monotype, drypoint on plexi, and hand-drawing.

What’s your favorite feedback that someone has said about something you created?
A gallery owner who had never seen my work began one of my school final reviews with: “I had no idea there were young artists interested in landscape. I mean landscape? It’s refreshing to see someone try and make their own voice in something so well established.” That was the first time somebody had recognized my intentions. It’s hard to gain respect working in landscape, but I see it as a challenge to create your own voice in a popular genre.

What are your hobbies outside of art?
I love cooking. You’re learning a skill through experience, just like making art, except you get to eat it. And if you mess up? There’s no one to disappoint but some taste buds. It can be very meditative, focused, or carefree. Whatever you need to do to end your insane day and please your stomach. And I love to take care of my plants and succulents.

Creative people all have those days (or weeks!) when we feel lost, unmotivated, or stuck. How do you keep yourself inspired when you’re in a rut?
I hang everything I’ve been working on around the studio and look. Then I go to an artist’s supply store and look. If that doesn’t work, I leave the city, go back to the Cape, and look.

Maker Stories

Fernanda Sibilia: The Tango, Fileteado, and Freedom From Fashion

February 27, 2015

While some artists and designers have to go out of their way to find inspiration—venturing out to museums or into breathtaking natural settings to rekindle their creative spark—Argentinian jewelry maker Fernanda Sibilia says “inspiration is easy in Buenos Aires” where she has her studio. It’s in the Abasto district, named for the Mercado de Abasto, which was the main fruit and vegetable market for the city for nearly a century. Now a fashionable mall, it remains a focus of tradition and vibrant urban life for Buenos Aires.

Fernanda observes that Buenos Aires offers many layers of inspiration—natural, architectural, and cultural. “The sky is blue almost every day, and the trees have a different color each season,” she says. “My favorite month is November, when our trees bloom…Jacaranda, Palo Borracho, and Tipas, one after the other.” This vivid natural palette is rivaled only by the colorfully decorated buildings of the fileteado porteño style, where entire facades are adorned with elaborate ribbons, fanciful dragons, and floral arabesques. The spirit of fileteado also finds its way into the patinated floral surfaces of some of Fernanda’s jewelry.

Buenos Aires, rue Jean Jaures 709 (Paseo del Filete) façade painted by Tulio Ovando, Wikimedia Commons

Fernanda’s Abasto neighborhood is also associated with the blossoming of the tango in Buenos Aires, a sensuous tradition of music and dance that can be glimpsed in some of her designs where the gestural twisting and layering of metals produces alluringly sinuous forms. She says that she “feels like an alchemist” when combining the qualities of different metals, and “love[s] mixing the green of patina, the red of copper, the yellowish brown of brass, and the iridescences of oxides.”

Whatever the influences on her work, Fernanda makes an intriguing distinction between modes of inspiration, saying, “I try to be near art rather than fashion. This makes me enjoy simple things without being aware of trends, so I’m aesthetically independent.” Essentially, she’s pursuing a timelessness in her designs, steering them away from the mercurial influence of fashion, avoiding the limited shelf life of ever-shifting trends.

Maker Stories

A First Look at Sarah Janece Garcia’s First Light

February 19, 2015

I’ve always loved nature-inspired art, and when I saw Sarah Janece Garcia’s Design Challenge entry, I knew I was looking at something special. Not only is Sarah inspired by nature, she’s also motivated by an unstoppable urge to create. That drive from within helps her start fresh pieces with enthusiasm, building with colors and abstract shapes until her work transforms into recognizable images of plants and animals.

Her winning piece, First Light, is a beautiful example of how Sarah draws from nature to combine realism and abstraction. Allowing what she describes as “the movements of wind and water” to guide her brush, the self-taught artist creates solid forms that seem to flow like liquid. Read on to meet the artist, learn more about her process, and see why she believes it’s important to follow your passion.

How did you celebrate when you found out that you won our design challenge?
I am very appreciative that my painting First Light got to be a part of the Art and Design Challenge. I was so honored that it received such positive feedback and so many votes from the public. When I received the call that UncommonGoods had awarded the painting as the winner, I was thrilled. As an artist, my wish is to create work that others are drawn to and thus connect with. So, to know this piece reached out to others in such a positive way was very encouraging.

My husband, who is certainly my number one fan and supporter, is in fact who told me about this challenge, so fittingly he was the first person I told and celebrated with. He was beyond happy for me, as were all the wonderful art supporters I have that offer me continuous inspiration. Being able to inform those that are a part of my artistic journey that First Light won really brought the happiness full circle.

When did you first realize that you wanted to be an artist?
A moment that sticks out in my mind occurred in 5th grade where the class was asked to make an illustrated short story on what we wanted to be when we grew up. In that story, on the last page, I wrote, “When I grow up I will be an artist” and drew a picture of myself at an easel painting on a canvas. The reason this story has never faded from my memory is because I find it to be a constant reminder of the fact that I am getting to make my dream come true on a daily basis. I have gotten this wonderful opportunity to fulfill a wish I grew up believing I could do and every day that I get to paint is a day that I am accomplishing what I feel I was meant to do.

How did you teach yourself to paint and how are you continuing to develop those skills?
My upbringing was one in which creative expression was very much encouraged. I grew up with art and music being created all around me and I was always provided with the tools to express myself creatively. I can remember my mom telling me stories [when I was growing up] about artists that bravely traveled the world to create their beautiful paintings, and learning about artists that had come before me. I experimented in many different styles of art for many years, all of which I would delve into and learn as I went along. I was never shown how to draw or paint certain things, but the fact that I had all the encouragement and tools to try the out different mediums or styles were invaluable to me growing as an artist. Once I found my style of painting nature in the mediums of oil and watercolor, I saw real growth as an artist. I reached a point that I knew my artistic voice and style had arrived, which enabled me to guide the direction of my work and learn my craft in a better way.

I found that being self-taught was a wonderful first step for me. However, there is always more to learn in the world of art and countless possibilities to explore. I feel that instructional classes, art workshops, subject research, and a great deal of experimenting are all fantastic tools to advancing artistically. I am a true believer in working hard at what you feel passionate about, putting in the hours to develop your skills, and seeking out any knowledge that can be gained in bettering yourself as an artist. I find the endless possibilities in art to be so exciting.

Where do you get inspiration for your art?
The short answer is nature. Like the human spirit, nature has this amazing ability to not only grow but flourish amongst such varying circumstances. As people, we rely on nature for life sustaining necessities as well as its provision of beauty that we get to enjoy. I find abundant inspiration from what grows from this earth and what takes flight above me in the sky. My abstractions are produced with stories of nature in mind, the movements of wind and water being the most predominant. For subject matter, my thoughts always go to flowers and flying creatures. The delicate mix of strength and gentleness that both flowers and small creatures possess really fascinates me. I become inspired to explore this balance in my work. I find the beauty of nature to be incredible powerful in my life. Nature’s beauty enriches my soul and continues to bring me comfort and happiness at the precise moment I need it. I feel very strongly that when I show love and respect nature, nature always returns the favor.

What’s your artistic process?
My artistic process always begins with an abstract creation. I use either oil or watercolor to create my initial abstraction. Often, my abstractions are inspired by the elements of wind and water. For the structure of my abstractions, I often look to the beauty and movement of glass art. I find glass art contains a fluid, interweaving movement, which allows me to lay abstractions down in a more effortless and clear manner. My color choices always come from what is inspiring the piece. For me, every painting has a story and that story dictates my color palette.

As I paint, my story builds and the colors in which I feel continues to better tell the story are what I place on the canvas or paper. In my artistic process, I never truly know where my abstraction will end up and that abandonment of control is what I feel gives my work the movement and freedom that I hope to capture in each piece. Once the abstraction is at a place where I feel confident with it, I place my subject matter. The subject matter I like to work with is the wonderful natural elements that surround us all. I always let the abstract direct what will be placed on it and I place the subject on when the abstraction is wet. I find this enables the subject to move with the abstraction while still remaining the focal point of the piece.

Once the elements are positioned, I am able to come in with the necessary details to define the subjects on the painting. From the beginning to the end of the painting I am able to explore nature in both a literal and abstract way. To me, this process fulfills my artistic need to express my vision while still being relatable to others that have a soulful love for nature.

Describe your work space. Is there anything there that’s particularly inspiring to you?
I work in a home studio and I find that being surrounded by the things I love in my home helps inspire me to paint beauty. My in-home studio is equipped with all the tools I need to either paint in oil or watercolor and I often will rotate the location I paint in depending on the medium.

I am a constant night owl, so painting in my home studio is the most agreeable route. I find the night time to be the most inspirational, due to the fact that while most of the world rests I am able to find my center and concentrate solely on my work. I keep my workspace minimally lit, because it enables me to better paint the light in my work. I often lean towards dark colors as a preference, so keeping my studio workspace a bit more dim allows me to elevate my saturation of color while painting brighter brights. Also, I find when new inspiration or a fresh perspective is needed a change in scenery is all it takes.

Due to painting natural elements in my work, I sometimes take my painting outside in the sunlight where nature surrounds me. When choosing our home, we made sure that it had beautiful established greenery everywhere. We have numerous crape myrtle and fruit trees along with big rose bushes and a variety of flowering plants. I keep bird baths and feeders available to make sure our lovely little hummingbirds abound and the beautiful birds are able to find a sanctuary along with us in our backyard. By surrounding myself with the things I love, both inside my studio and outside in the environment, I am able to continuously be motivated and better able to incorporate these much-loved elements in my work.

What’s your best advice for aspiring artists?
I believe maintaining an exuberant passion for creating is an imperative necessity for all artists. Sure working, learning, and growing in your craft is very important, but just as essential is a passion for your work. I find that a deep passion for the creative process continues to be the driving force behind my work. I once read that you should never give up on something you can’t go a day without thinking about. If crafting art falls under this category in your life, then by all means never give up on that love of artistic expression. I find this love for art and painting continuously keeps me striving to develop my skills and encourages me to experiment in the creative process.

Maker Stories

Building Knowledge: Tiffany Ard’s ‘Super Nerdy’ New Design

February 17, 2015

Tiffany Ard has been a long time favorite artist of UncommonGoods. We’ve featured a multitude of her fantastically scientific and geeky products. However, she had some ideas that she couldn’t execute herself, so she asked UncommonGoods to develop products with her. We knew this would be a huge opportunity for us and couldn’t wait to get on board.

While she may be known as the Nerdy Baby Lady, she is a creative force to be reckoned with. From the very beginning of development, her enthusiasm was exciting. I couldn’t believe the depth of her knowledge for these higher level STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math, as she taught me) concepts. Every time she would forward a new set of art for our review, I would learn something new while fact checking. Who knows what a P-Orbital is? I do now.

This was our first product with the manufacturer, so Tiffany and I would go back and forth, refining her artwork until we got it right for production. After a grueling development cycle, we finally blew a sigh of relief when we got the final sets in hand. We collectively agreed that the aptly named Super Nerdy ABC Blocks would be a big hit in our collection. It is still one of my favorite projects during my time here at UncommonGoods. I can’t wait to get working on our next project with Tiffany, but before diving into our next brainstorming session, Tiffany agreed to take a pop quiz about her art, the blocks, and growing up geeky.

What was your favorite science project as a kid?
Oh, gosh just one? I loved science and read almost everything in the school library’s nonfiction section. I liked inventing stuff. When I was about nine I wanted to make a doorbell that our dog could ring by scratching on the door. The guy at Radio Shack showed me how to make a circuit with a switch. I set it up with a horrible sounding buzzer, and when it was done, my dad helped me attach this clunky, awful-looking contraption to the front door. Which thinking back is weird because we were renting and our landlord was sort of a grump! I hope they got their deposit back.

But the other constant was art. My earliest memories are of mixing paints. What an awesome experiment that can be for a kid, you know? Nothing blows up, nothing expensive to ruin, just seeing what happens when you mix this shade with that until you have a big gray sludgy mess—and then you rinse your brushes and start again.

When did you first come to the conclusion that you were a nerd?
Well, you know junior high is an age where kids are looking around to see where they fit in. I was too afraid of being hit by a ball to do sports, too shy to be a theater kid, too unpopular to be one of the popular kids. The kids I spent time with liked Douglas Adams and Carl Sagan. We liked writing stories and inventing languages and pretending to be time travelers. Hmm. Maybe “dorks” is a better word than “nerds!”

What are your favorite science facts that everyone should know?
I tell my kids that there are no scientific FACTS. Just answers that explain what we see happening around us, and new information can always change our understanding. But I’m being annoying, homeschooley, science mom.
My current favorite facts:
1. Evolution is real, y’all. It’s worth the effort to understand, because it is amazing.
2. That said, dinosaurs and humans DID co-exist. In fact we still do! My son has two of them as pets and they’re just as loud and messy and demanding as you would expect little, feathered dinosaurs to be.
3. Your body has more bacteria cells than human cells.

Why is it important to give kids gifts that are both fun and educational?
It isn’t! I mean, let’s be honest—you really do not need to cram kids’ brains with scientific terminology. The best gifts invite open ended play and make kids feel empowered to experiment fearlessly. If they happen to learn some fun science facts, all the better.

Which illustration on the Super Nerdy ABC Blocks is your favorite and why?
Oh gosh. I love Io with its cute little active volcano. But my favorite might be the derpy-eyed flatworm. Those worms really look like that!

From Absolute Zero to Zoological Oddity, your ABCs cover some pretty interesting material. How did you decide what to put on the blocks?
This was a fun exercise in problem solving. There are 26 letter blocks, each block has six sides. My kids helped me brainstorm ideas. For some letters, there were too many options to choose from! Feynman, Friction, Fahrenheit, Force, Freefall, Fibonacci… For those it came down to deciding which would translate best into small, one-color illustrations.

What are some fun ways to use Super Nerdy Blocks, aside from just stacking them up and knocking them over?
Spell your name. Look for patterns. Sort by type of interest—biology, chemistry, math. Make paths. Hide them all over the house and look for A-Z. Close your eyes and pick one block, and then challenge a friend to define the term.

Besides giving kids super-fun math and science toys, what else can grownups do to help encourage kids to embrace their nerdiness?
Model CURIOUSITY. Act excited when you don’t know something. Let kids see you trying and failing and trying again as you tackle learning something that’s hard for you. Let them experiment, let them play, and create a space where it’s always okay to make wrong guesses.

Maker Stories

Inside the Artist’s Studio with Dave Marcoullier

February 10, 2015

Rocking red flannel, Dave Marcoullier, a San Francisco-based woodworking designer, was dressed like a true lumberjack when I showed up to take a tour of his studio. Passing gigantic Burning Man iron monuments that were displayed behind a fence outside, I was led into a warehouse that sheltered a world of more peculiar sculptures and organized chaos. I felt like I was in an abandoned carnival tucked away inside a hoarder’s ultimate dream maze. I was in a place that’s the second home for over 250 artists, blacksmiths, inventors, creative minds, and in Dave’s words, “mad scientists.” I didn’t spot anyone right away, but I heard banging, drilling, and faint shouting throughout the warehouse space. A dog brushed pass me, and Dave immediately told me how friendly she was.

Stacks of random puzzle pieces of wood, metal, found items, car parts, and other bits and bobs were everywhere. I couldn’t decipher what objects they once were, but I had a feeling their future life would be interesting. I was officially Alice in a very, very different wonderland.

Dave was “the guy in the corner with the loud machines.” His space was positioned in the back – where his power tools and materials waited to be played with. My eyes couldn’t focus on just one thing because there was so much to look at. Wood pieces, big and small, tall and short, skinny and wide – were sprinkled along the walls and stored inside of trash cans. There was a huge cargo container placed in the corner, the inside was cleverly morphed into another mini workshop within his workspace, where more tools, gadgets, and machines were proudly displayed. I recognized his designs that were scattered under and on top of tables, all of them at different stages: just started, almost done, completed masterpiece.

From his Infill Fanicle Table to his City Skyline Wooden Routing, Dave’s intricate designs are truly uncommon and make a charming addition to any space. Read on to learn more about this maker and get a glimpse at his unforgettable creative space.

Maker Stories

Glass Winner Heather Trimlett Melts Our Hearts With Her Vibrant Design

January 16, 2015

I remember the first time that I watched a glass artist use a torch. I was sitting in a glassblowing demonstration at an art fair, surrounded by a big crowd waiting to witness what would happen when molten glass meets high heat. The crowd’s silence gave way to an entrancing performance. Watching the artist manipulate red and orange glass was like getting hypnotized by a campfire. I couldn’t imagine the patience and precision required to work hand-in-hand with an alluring, deadly element.

One glance at Heather Trimlett’s Spiro Earrings instantly takes me back to that day. I can tell that Heather’s ability to twist glass into a freely flowing pattern requires an eye for enchantment. As I got to know Heather during this interview, it doesn’t surprise me that she found her niche in jewelry making. Her personality is just as warm, friendly, and colorful as her beautiful pieces. Her color palette is a perfect match for our assortment! Meet Glass Design Challenge Winner Heather Trimlett, and learn about the process behind her winning design, her first experiences at the torch, and how she views the world in multicolored glasses.

How did you come up with the concept of your winning design?
For years I have played, practiced and experimented with carefully layering different colors of glass on top of each other and creating twists made of these different colors of glass. When I realized that adding a rod of clear glass to my twists would magnify the colors and allow them to appear to float freely in the clear glass, I had my magic. This combination of layering and precise twisting came together for the Spiro Earring design.

How did you celebrate when you found out that you won our Glass Design Challenge?
My first wave of euphoria came when I found out I had been accepted into the UncommonGoods Glass Challenge! I sent an email to all my clients, students and supporters, and asked them to please vote for my earrings! I was thrilled by their enthusiastic response.

Then I won, but couldn’t tell anyone! During the “period of secrecy,” I told a few close friends and toasted with a few glasses of wine. My insides were jumping up and down yelling “YEA!”

Once it was OK to tell, I sent an email to EVERYONE I knew to tell them I had won!

Can you tell us 3 fun, random facts about yourself?
1. I’m an avid gardener. Propagating my Staghorn ferns then sharing the babies with friends ranks high on the list of fun things about the garden. Spending all day Sunday in the garden is the definition of a perfect day for me. My fingers are perpetually crossed that one day my Proteas will decide to bloom. My newest venture is growing things we can actually eat.

2. I have become a collector of Lego figures. Probably the influence of a 4-year-old grandson. Or is it all those bright colors?

3. While I sit at my torch making beads, I watch bees drinking at my fountain. It’s amazing; there are hundreds of bees every day in the summer! The bees at the fountain, conversations with my students who are beekeepers and my concern for the declining bee population have led me to start studying beekeeping and trying to work up the courage to keep my own hives.

Describe your workspace.
I have two workspaces with garden views. The studio is my space for glass work and includes torches, tools, and all things related to fire. Living in southern California has allowed me to comfortably work “outside” in my garage for 20+ years. I like to say I park my car in my studio. From my torch, I have a beautiful view of my front garden.

My beautiful, bright new office is the second workspace. It’s done in my favorite color combo: lime and turquoise accented with black and white. A large glass door opens onto my garden at one end. I sort beads, make jewelry and take care of paperwork in this space.

Who or what are your design influences?
1. Color! This is the #1 driver for me. Sometimes I feel like a magpie chasing shiny things. I am constantly aware of the color around me, checking for combinations that might work well with my glass work. I love how bright colors can be in the California sunshine!

2. Order. I love orderly things, mechanical things, symmetry and repetition of line and shape. The fine mechanics and shine of a well-made tool truly inspires me.

Describe your first jewelry designing experience.
I was born to be a maker of things. I have always sewed, crocheted, built stained glass windows and many other things.

Playing with pop beads as a child was probably my first jewelry making experience. I still think they are a hoot and use them as design inspiration with my students.

Once I found flameworking (making beads at a torch), my career was set. I backed into jewelry making out of a need to do something with the plethora of beads I was making. My jewelry is simple and clean, as well as a nod to my love of symmetry and color. Clean, repetitive simple shapes are my favorite.

Can you walk us through the set by step process of creating the Spiro Earrings?
The first step in making my Lime Spiro earring is to make the twist that will be the spiral pattern within the earring. I start with one rod of clear glass and three rods of color. I heat the four rods and melt them together. The colors are placed around the clear like the stripes in toothpaste coming out of a tube. While the glass is molten, I carefully twist and stretch it out until it is about the diameter of a pencil and then let it cool. This is my twisted cane.

Next, I begin to create the bead itself. I heat a stainless steel mandrel and a rod of lime glass simultaneously. The size of the mandrel determines the size of the hole in my bead. I carefully wrap one layer of lime green glass around the mandrel as my base layer. Next, I heat the twisted cane gently and carefully, wrapping it around the lime green layer. Lastly, I apply a very thin layer of turquoise glass. I continue to head the bead gently to bring it to its final smooth shape.

I place each finished bead into the kiln to anneal (cool gradually) overnight. For me, the next morning is like Christmas when I open the kiln to see all that I accomplished the day before. I remove the beads from the mandrel, clean & polish them and then assemble them into the Lime Spiro earrings.

Are there any interesting future projects you would like to pursue?
When I am not on the road teaching or home making beads, my 10+ year goal is to learn battuto, an Italian glass engraving technique.

Creative people all have those days (or weeks!) when we feel lost, unmotivated, or stuck. How do you keep yourself inspired?
1. I am always charged up after teaching a class. My students give me energy, support and inspiration! Their questions create new puzzles for me to solve all the time!

2. Glass Bead Yoga. Production work gets me back into the groove. The repetition it requires is calming, feels good and safe, like an old friend. My mind has the space to settle down and regroup, ready for the next design idea.

Maker Stories

Inside the Artist’s Studio with Phil Thompson

January 14, 2015

Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, Mies van der Rohe, Jeanne Gang—some of the greatest, most renowned names in architecture–have marked their space on the Chicago skyline. Their skyscrapers, public buildings, and homes in the Windy City have shaped modern design over the centuries. It is no wonder, then, why illustrator Phil Thompson finds inspiration in Chicago’s Prairie Style bungalows, classic six-flat brick Craftsman buildings, and skyscraping architectural landmarks. As a recently departed Chicagoan, I can attest that Phil and his wife and studio mate, Katie, live in one of those architecturally remarkable apartments that most of us dream of finding. Built in 1912, the Craftsman flat has many of its original Deco fixtures and warm, comforting wood detailing.
A colleague here at UncommonGoods tipped me off to Phil’s intricate custom home portraits. The cleanliness of his structured, blueprint-like approach suitably matches the sparseness of his studio. He surrounds himself just with what he needs: drawing paper, a basket full of trusty micro-pens, and drafting tools. There are a few exceptions to the sparseness—all of which are largely contained within a small bulletin board—a calendar, the usual lists of to-dos, and some inspirational quotations. Phil also prominently displays a beautiful postcard-size watercolor by his grandmother to remind him of his artistic roots.
I am always thoroughly impressed and warmed by artists that are able to seamlessly and successfully blend their passions and skills. Phil and Katie are two of those artists. He pairs his discerning eye and exacting hand with a passion for accurately rendering architectural styles and the home. Phil’s Classic Home Portraits honor those places where we build memories, families, and community.

Maker Stories

Wishes Do Come True: Jill Davis’ Glass Globes

January 12, 2015

Jill Davis always knew she wanted to be in the business of creativity. Growing up just outside of Boston, MA, she was immediately drawn to the rich arts and culture resources the city had to offer. Visits to the Museum of Fine Arts in her stroller gave way to a summer internship in high school. “In retrospect, I can’t believe the museum staff hired me,” says Jill, “I was the only high school student—all the others were graduate students!” Despite her young age, Jill began working on a project to organize all of the exhibition photos in the museum archive. Her favorite part of the job, however, was exploring the decorative arts and period furniture sections.

This sparked a lifelong passion in three-dimensional art. Before finding her way to glass, Jill worked with a variety of techniques and materials. From clay and metal to jewelry and paper, Jill eventually settled on fashion, making all of her own clothes. “It was the early ’80s and I wanted to look like I was in a rock and roll band, preferably Van Halen or KISS.” Jill went on to sell those clothes at small stores in Boston and Cambridge before enrolling at the Parsons School of Design in New York City.

During her freshman year studying fashion, Jill realized her clothes were more akin to wearable “sculptures” than they were “fashion.” She knew she wanted to stay at Parsons so she began exploring their different departments. The day she walked into the glass studio and saw molten glass for the first time, her search was over. “Glass is the most challenging and rewarding material I have ever encountered,” says Jill. “You can’t bully it—you are perpetually persuading and coaxing the glass into shape. Even the best living master glass blowers cannot always get the glass to do what they want! It’s this feisty streak that keeps me enchanted.”

Jill began working with the New York Experimental Glass Workshop, spending the next 15 years creating one-of-a-kind fine art sculptures. “It was absolutely great, and I didn’t mean to stop doing it—starting my company was a happy accident,” says Jill. After leaving New York and moving to rural Washington State, Jill realized that Washington was a bit lacking in terms of 24/7 public transportation. She needed a car and she didn’t want to take out a big loan to get one. Thus began her Car Project. “Glassblowers are lucky,” says Jill, “instead of waiting tables, we can blow Christmas ornaments, go set up a card table at a craft fair, and at the end of the day, you can generally count on having sold most of them.” She designed a small collection of affordably priced items and by the end of the year was able to buy a brand new car—in cash. She was also able to start her company, Henrietta Glass. Her innovative Wishing Ball followed shortly.

The Wishing Ball was inspired by an NPR story Jill was listening to while she blew some bud vases. A woman told a story about wishing on pennies as a way to heal a broken heart. Realizing that a penny couldn’t buy a wish these days, she began saving her wishes in a jar. Her wish came true at $4.73. Inflation much? This story inspired Jill to create a container for lucky pennies, though a container for pennies ended up amounting to a classic piggybank. Jill realized she was more interested in wishes than pennies, and so began to create a vessel that echoed both crystal balls and snow globes—“two other glass traditions that encourage us to gaze both inward and outward to explore new possibilities.”

The ball itself is hand blown from a blob of 2000 degree molten glass. The clear glass is rolled in bits of copper and cobalt glass called frit in order to produce an ethereal turquoise color. “It’s just like putting sprinkles on ice cream, only screaming hot,” says Jill. The glass is then carefully shaped with a bubble inflated within it. A separate bit of molten glass is affixed to the ball to form the foot. Once assembled, the whole piece slowly cooled in an oven over twelve hours.

The perfect spot to stow wishes, give thanks, or make a resolution for the New Year, the Wishing Ball presents an inspirational opportunity to put your hopes where you can see them. What’s Jill’s wish for the Wishing Ball? “I’d like people to see their Wishing Ball as a little bit of help or inspiration toward a positive future. Deciding what to write on each piece of paper may be an opportunity to focus and clarify your thoughts.” Her resolution for the New Year? To make sure she keeps doing things that make her uncomfortable, things that challenge her.

“The wonderful American furniture artist Wendell Castle, a hero of mine, has a list of 10 ‘rules’ to live and make art by,” says Jill. “One of those rules is that if you hit the bull’s eye every time, you are standing too close to the target.” This inspiration to constantly push herself lends perfectly to the idea behind the Wishing Ball. Set goals, make a wish, and make changes.

People often ask Jill why the wishes can’t come back out, and her explanation can be summed up with birthday candles. “When you blow out you candles, you don’t tell the wish you made, otherwise it won’t come true.” Says Jill. “But more importantly, memories are always more beautiful than photographs, and the same is true of wishes. When you look at the little slips of paper accumulating in your Wishing Ball, I want you to think about the Big Picture those messages convey. Rereading the notes would be like looking backwards, or trying to step in the same river twice.”

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