Using sea glass within fused glass.

I have always collected sea glass and wondered how it could be combined with commercially produced glass used for fusing. So time to experiment! What was obvious was that the sea glass melted at a much higher temperature than the commercial glass.

The bowl - with sea glass, frit and powders.

Detail...

A coaster with frit made from sea glass - with some cracking due to the different properties of the glass used.

River Liza - Fused glass wave

Following our visit to Ennerdale the other week....click here....I used the crystal clear waters of the River Liza as inspiration for a fused glass wave.

The glass was laid over kiln paper and then flakes of 'gold' and wire were laid on top of the glass. Another layer of glass was added onto which pieces of cut glass, frit and powders were added. The next step would be to find some more realistic glass colours ...in the meantime I would like to place the glass in the river and photograph it through the water....watch this space!

Thanks once again to Roxy at RD Glass for use of her studio and doing the firing!

The River Liza, Ennerdale.

Clear waters....

Looking down on the wave...

Looking through the wave....

Details ....

South Wales cave fauna

Tom's  trip to a limestone cave was also fruitful, including a new species of moth to him: the tissue, and a whole host of cave-adapted spiders. For more information visit: http://www.cambriancavingcouncil.org.uk/cavelife/wales/spiders.html

Juv. Cave spiders (Meta menardii) and a possible Metallina merianae.

An adult cave spider (Meta menardii) alongside a freshly made eggsac.

 Nesticus cellulanus- a spectacularly patterned species.

Another M. menardii eggsac.

The tissue moth, nearer to the cave entrance than other hibernating moth species, and a photograph without flash, showing a truer colour.

The tissue moth.

The herald- beaded with droplets of water in the dark.

The herald.

Clyne Valley

Tom had had an enjoyable round trip from Blackpill towards the student village and back, through Clyne Valley.

Clyne Valley. Nice to see invasive species being removed from a scrub-land area, home to small pearl bordered frits and brimstones in the summer months.

A broadleaf crust and elf cup sp.

A curtain crust and tremella sp.

Elf cup sp.

A host of lichens.

An old railway tunnel, with mineral stalactites.

Impressive yellow slugs, found when looking for slime mold fruiting bodies.

A good number of woodland birds, including this blue tit. 

Lino cutting ...another course

I've decided this year to run two consecutive lino courses, so people can dip in and out and do either large or small pieces; single colour or reduction linos; attending for one or two sessions ....and here are today's results - many will be finished next week, It's so good to see regulars becoming more confident and pushing themselves with more complex designs...

Mumbles nature reserve & Swansea Bay

Continuing Tom's walk ....Looking down on Bracelet Bay is Mumbles Hill and further afield to Swansea Bay.

Mumbles, and the first celandine of the year.

Mumbles Nature Reserve.

Swansea Bay.

The dunes of Swansea Bay, near Blackpill.

Winter-stalk ball fungi.

A portrait of a winter-stalk ball, quite a charismatic fungus.

Crocus and winter heliotrope: increasing signs of spring.

Cellar cup.

Bracelet Bay Mediterranean Gulls

While we were out and about in the north, Tom had a good trip to Bracelet Bay, Mumbles. Lots of wintering Mediterranean Gulls, in the stunning sunshine on Saturday.

Mumbles.

Rock pipit and bullfinch.

Bracelet Bay.

A mixture of Mediterranean gulls and black-headed gulls.

Crashing waves over the gulls.

A portrait of a Mediterranean gull (middle gull).

A mixture of Mediterranean gulls (lower) and black-headed gulls (upper).