Untitled, 30" x30", stained glass
©2011 Carolyn Wagner
Yeah! I finally finished a piece that I’ve been working on since January. Well, I started it in January, but was only able to sporadically work on it until recently. I like the “finished” piece, but am disappointed in that I did not stick to my original plan. My original plan was to have this serve as the background for a coastal themed mosaic that has been swimming around the murky waters of my head for a few years. But I have decided to let this piece stand on its own, because, well…just because. I like it.
Though we didn’t see each other much this spring, we had a rather rocky relationship from the git go. I started off with the beautiful sheets of stained glass you see below. But I eventually either dropped, or changed out some of it.
Though we didn’t see each other much this spring, we had a rather rocky relationship from the git go. I started off with the beautiful sheets of stained glass you see below. But I eventually either dropped, or changed out some of it.
I got the inner circle done, added another color and hated both the flow of the piece and the two colors used to that point. So, I ignored it for about a month. That’s not a good thing when you decide you’re not happy with a piece. Luckily, I had used a water soluble glue, so I could eventually rip up the offending color. I then reworked my transition to the next color and was on my slow journey to the outer edges. I began to fall in like again. Here is a detail shot before grouting:
Then, I had to grout it. I used five different hand-tinted colors of grout.
I was so excited to see if these grout choices would really pull the colors out and let them show their vibrancy. Waiting…waiting…waiting…finally, wipe the grout off (kind of). What? All the grout looks grey. How can that be? Ugghhh! Then...Child 1: “Mom, I’m supposed to go to Anna’s house, can you take me?” Oh, alright. Back again and back to work. Child 1 phones: “Mom, I forgot my bag in your car, can you bring it to me?” Geeeeeezz. Okay. Back to work on it. Child 2: “Mo-uum!” Oh, just forget it. I knew it was a big mistake, but I was tired. So, I left it. Left it in its grey, miserable state to sulk overnight and plan its revenge.
And revenge it had. Armed with my dental pick, I fought my way back into its good graces.
Bit by bit, as I hacked off the hard, dried bits of grout from the shiny bits of stained glass, its beauty returned. But something was still not quite right for me. That ugly grey grout was not what I had envisioned. So, I gave it a bath. I let it soak up four different color washes that I tenderly applied.
Finally, we’re a happy, though nameless, twosome. Its original name went with a poem that prompted what was to be the whole coastal themed mosaic in the first place. So as of now, this piece remains untitled.
Finally, we’re a happy, though nameless, twosome. Its original name went with a poem that prompted what was to be the whole coastal themed mosaic in the first place. So as of now, this piece remains untitled.
And, I don’t know when I’ll ever be able to get that coastal piece done. For now, it’ll just have to keep treading water in my mind.
Have a Fabulous Friday,
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