It had to happen sooner or later and I'm now surprised that it hadn't already happened. In an effort to make our imagery and our glass work as accessible to as many fans as we can, Joy has developed a new glass jewelry line called ImaGems; the combining of Image and Gems. They are miniature images of ours viewed through a fused crystal lens that hangs on a silver chain and bail as a pendant necklace. They're sure to catch attention.

Tags: art glass, creativity, fused glass, painting, prints, warm glass

After six months of getting pummeled by failures in trying to cast glass sinks to fit an existing counter top that was forbidden by the client to be modified—even by a little, my partner in art got a nice reward. Along the path of these varied projects that we do, comes knowledge that you don't know how it will be used. One day, though, it all comes together in glorious fashion.

Tags: art glass, diversity, perseverance, perspective, success

Now, this is cool. Today on the Google search page is a working Pac-Man game, sound and all. Has two players, too. Insert coin, player 2 shows up in Ms. Pac-Man. I understand there's 256 levels. Someone, probably many someones, invested a lot of hours coding this, so that it just plays in the browser without Flash. Productivity hit a serious speed bump—for this day at least.

Tags: computer, games, retro, technology

The Deep Sea Anemone Table

It's Great! There are few who could be more critical and discerning. Their observations mean a lot because, in one way or another, they've been there.

Tags: 3D model, art and science, art glass, hot glass

An inspiration to many space artists over the years, and indeed for some the person who started them in their art careers by way of example, and also to the many men and women who make the exploration and education of the realm of space possible every day, has become one with the Cosmos. He was a Fellow of the International Association of Astronomical Artists; of which I am also a Fellow, inducted the same year, and Chair of the Board of Trustees. Bob was among the six recipients of the IAAA's most prestigious honor first bestowed in 2000, the Lucien Rudaux Memorial Award; named for French astronomer Lucien Rudaux (1874-1947), who wrote and illustrated his own books with paintings that resemble the Apollo photography long before we had any real hope of capability to travel off the planet.

Tags: artist, painting, space

Each time I observe or participate in a spacecraft launch I wonder at all that we have been able to do with The Technology of Fire.

Tags: legacy, perception, perspective, technology

Or is it the other way around? Every so often, I receive queries in my mailbox asking about various topics. Today, I was asked a question about the path that I took and how it affected my life's work:

Tags: art and science, diversity, focus, perception

Next, we'll move into the process of creating the blown glass planets and Sun. The planets are supported by curved, hollow carbon fiber arms; the longest being 3 feet (1m), so the orbs must be very light. Just as in the Celestial Winds Blown Glass and Carbon Fiber Mobiles that we make, that have arms as long as 20 feet (6m), saving every ounce of mass that is way out on the end is very important. You're probably asking why we choose to pay that mass penalty when plastic could be used instead. Answer is simple:

Tags: art and science, astronomy, glassblowing, hot glass

A colleague in England posted today that he had a harrowing experience varnishing a painting when the varnish began dissolving some of the paints and started spreading them across the rest of his painting.

I've always dreaded the varnishing operation. You painstakingly coax every individual millimeter of a work to get them all to sing together in concert and it's finally finished. Then, you risk the whole darn thing on one swell foop by having to apply a substance that ubiquitously affects the entire thing all at once.

Tags: disaster, varnish