Pilchuck "Mastering Simplicity" continued...

The goal of artists Kirstie Rea and Jessica Loughlin is stated in the Pilchuck Glass School course title: "Mastering Simplicity." Reflecting, reasoning, carving away what is not essential -- over and over and over -- these are some of their core ways of being, of creating art.

Along with exercises to get us to apply these mantras, tools and techniques allow us to express these kernel ideas in glass.

I have previously shared crop of my own image which was the basis of many exercises:

Using neutrals, I made one sample, which after firing, of course, had a glossy finish:

This sample was squared up in the cold shop (glass peeps' lingo for the place where coldworking is done,  processes that are carried out after the glass comes out of the kiln -- grinding, polishing, engraving, sandblasting, and more more more).

Always an aficionada of a matte finish, I decided to sandblast it, and, as I wrote before, immediately fell in love with sandblasters.

The iPhone photo doesn't do the finish justice. It is dreamy beyond description. I could cuddle it, I love it so much, and not even be irritated by the sandpaper roughness it would leave on my skin.

But wait! There's more! Then I learned engraving on glass, or at least was introduced to it! Texture! Just what I want!

This is still at an intermediate stage, but the good news is that I already own the equipment it takes to create marks like this -- all I have to do is set it up, complete with water source (I know just the person who can design that, and he sleeps right next to me!).

So, layer upon layer of learning from this class -- one of the best educational experiences ever. Ever.