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Ray of Light Update: Here We Go!

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So the funding is in and things are moving FAST because we’ve got to get this thing finished and installed before the cold weather shuts us down!  The clock is definitely ticking! So here’s the plan for these 4’W x 14’H mosaic columns: We have material support from Sunshine Glassworks in Cheektowaga, NY & Tiles International in Orchard Park, NY.  (Oh my geese – thank you guys from the bottom of our hearts!  We’re so, so grateful!!) I have a lot of design/technical support from Bonnie Fitzgerald of Maverick Mosaics in Vienna, VA.  If you’re interested in mosaic work, I… Read More »

Ray of Light Update: Almost Funded, Samples, Moving Forward…

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The efforts to fund the Ray of Light Project seem to be picking up steam!  Enough so that the command to “Forward March!” to almost stinkin’ official!!  Holy guacamole, Batman! I’ve finished a small sample tile, working through my thoughts on completing the mosaic columns.  I would really like there to be some even slight amount of dimension to the mosaic (even though that wasn’t really part of the initial game plan…) Here’s the thing: this project is in my backyard, my neighborhood park, affects my community.  I want this to blow minds, change attitudes.  My community needs this project… Read More »

McElf GlassWorks in Portland, OR

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June 8-12 I traveled to Portland, OR for the annual Stained Glass Association of America (SGAA) conference.  It was my first time attending an SGAA event, but not my first time in Portland. I love Portland.  It’s hard to say what my favorite thing about Portland is: the trees? The architecture?  The magic voodoo doughnuts?  Or… maybe that Bullseye and Uroboros Glass company are both there?  Golly, it’s just so hard to quantify and rate all the awesomeness that makes Portland so… awesome! It’s a fact that my love for Portland is what gave me the gazungas to fly out… Read More »

Ray of Light: An Intense Public Art Project on the Horizon

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Yesterday I had the honor of meeting the staff and artists from Buffalo Arts Studio that are making the Ray of Light Project possible.  I’ve been brought on board to bring the proposed mosaic portion of the project into reality if that much funding can be secured. So… What is the Ray of Light Project? On October 1, 2014, the Goldsmith family of Buffalo lost a beloved family member, Jerald (Dee Dee) Goldsmith, to a violent crime that took her life at just 52 years old and left her seven children without a mother. Now, Dee Dee’s family is turning… Read More »

“Heli-lens” for Jr. League Decorators Show House 2015

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When I wake up in the morning, I think of myself as a scientist and a craftsman before seeing myself as an artist.  For the 2015 Junior League Showhouse, I wanted to utilize my years of study of the chemistry of glass to push the limits of stained glass design through that lens.  Many of the pieces in the background had glass powder applied and fused onto the surface, creating permanent imagery which will never lose its vibrancy.  In the double helixes twisting across the two windows, precious metals were used to create reactions with the specific chemistry of that… Read More »

Welcome to McElf GlassWorks!

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Welcome to the McElf GlassWorks Project Room!  I’m McElf, of McElf GlassWorks, Buffalo, NY.  I’ve been collecting snapshots and snip-its throughout my glass journeys and it seems like it’s finally time to start sharing my experiences and adventures.  So I’m gettin’ down to it — this is the first installment and an introduction to what is going to be a seriously awesome (and probably often humorous) catalog of studio commissions, consignments, experiments and discoveries! I’m absolutely thrilled to be starting this new adventure with you! McElf GlassWorks Title Video

Life's too short for decaf coffee or annoying emails.

What I can't promise is regular, weekly emails. What I can promise is sporadic, humorous updates with a serious amount of gorgeous glassy adventures inside. Occasionally, there might even be a chance to join me for a cup o' coffee. (The really caffeinated kind!)

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