We finally got The Fisheating Creek Egret panel completed. All that is left is to polish and clean the panel, crate it up, and deliver it to Naples. I will be much relieved to have it completed. It has been a hugh project, and I am glad that it is finally (almost) finished. "No job, big or small, is ever done until you've done it all". When the egret body broke, I was more than a little distressed. That set me back a full day. Now that it is done, I like this egret body better than the last. I guess there is reason for everything.

Once we completed all of our packing for Venice, we headed over to Tim Millers "Glass Station" in Port Charlotte, for some industrial dichroic. They were blowing, so it was a real treat to watch them work. In these photos, Barclay is working on some vases. He said that he has'nt picked up a blow pipe in 5yrs. and is happy to get back into the furnace. It the first photo, Barclay is throwing the glass, at Richard's direction. The rod holding the glass is called a punt, as opposed to a blow pipe.
Here is Barclay putting heat back into the vase. The glass has to stay hot, or it will crack and break. If too hot, it will fall off of the punt. It is continually put into, and taken out of the heat. This is furnace is called a "glory hole".
Here Richard is working a piece of glass while Barclay (outside of the photo) is blowing air into the glass, causing it to expand. Notice The Blue Dog looking on...
In this last photo, Barclay is rolling the hot glass on the maulving table into glass frit, to add color. It was great fun watching these guys make glass objects of art. We love to watch them work. You can really appreciate just how much effort goes into a simple vase, after an afternoon at the Glass Station. As you can see in this last photo, The Blue Dog is really enjoying herself.
We finished off our visit with a nice load of industrial dichroic glass. Enough to complete the two commissions for The Bowman Project. The plan now it to get this turned around within a couple of days, so we can deliver it in Naples when we are in the neighborhood with The Fisheating Creek Egrets. Sherry purchased a beautiful signed bowl, to add to our collection. This is our first "Miller", and is a really superior piece. I knew when Tim showed it to us that Sherry was going to want it. The thought no sooner crossed my mind when she turned to me and said "I have to have it". And so it goes. She asks for so little. In addition to the bowl and all of the dichroic glass, Tim throw in bottle of homemade star fruit wine that Sherry says she is saving to share with Jessica at Easter.

We departed Tim's. stopped at Walmart for batteries for the camera, an SD card, and odds and ends, and headed off to Venice for the show. Weather looks like it is going to be great. Our fingers are crossed for a good show. We are due!