When my parents had arrived in Oklahoma near the first of October it was raining. It continued to rain for about two weeks straight.
They maintained my property while I was gone to Washington DC (where it was sunny). When I came back, the rain was still coming down and the skies looked dreary.
But - my Dad took advantage of the rain and while he scrubbed off the debris from the travel, the rain helped to wash the dirt and grime down off the front of their fifth wheel.
The Arts District of Ada gave me the opportunity to get up and share my story of how I came to live in my "artful life'. I would like to do this more. Please visit their website: http://www.artsdisctrictofada.com/
This is Bridget Forshay. She helped to provide me with all that I needed to share my story. She wrote/helped to write a grant so that East Central University could have an event where there was a learning workshop for artists as well as a Art Festival where artist's could sell their work - right there on their campus. The community could buy hand-made original art...its a win-win all the way around....
I got a t-shirt to wear....COOL LOGO...Go ADA, Oklahoma !!!
My mom helping me paint the frame...she is an oil painter and is excellent at mixing colors. She is one of the most precise artists I know!
Cleaning....
Wiping more and cleaning more....
Still - last touches at the bottom.
How does this look to me? So many details I was wanting to be perfect. Wow...What a project this was. I learned so much about this type of design and the process it entailed.
Jim still working hard - way up high. He did a great job....
These pieces were the hardest for me to get really clean. The large pieces and small angled pieces I was able to hand clean before I soldered them into place. As I kept adding work with the soldering/patina process, keeping each piece clean was a constant challenge. This was complicated because of the paint process used on both frames.
Getting the hooks measured evenly and lifting the window up to Jim was a task!!!
I could not have done this without the help of Jim. He had to climb a twelve foot ladder just to get to the top where the hooks had to be put in the rough cedar timber.
Checking the "level" on each piece.
Carefully packing each piece and then carrying it out to the car. Jim brought lots of cardboard, bubble wrap and packing tape. We also had each piece wrapped in blankets with supportive cardboard corners to provide extra support...
So many intricate pieces. During the entire process I had to continually add the copper patina process. This came after every single time I soldered.
The frame was beginning to get some color from being primed first and then lightly sprayed with a brown paint that gave the surface some more texture. Also at this time I was trying to attach two small crystal "bowls" at the top and bottom, but that idea did not work. I had hoped to attach them and then solder a free hanging crystal in the center. Oh well...those are moments I remember that I am not really in control of how this designs evolves. I am another "tool" used in the process. 
These four wires were used/soldered in at each corner to hold the pieces up in the air once they were hung from the cedar rafter. I bought them at The North Pole, in Alaska....(yes, its real)...from two stained glass artists at a stained glass supply place. When they are called to repair stained glass windows who have been built into cabins, it is the wire they use. I figure if it can endure the harsh environment of Alaska , they will be strong enough to hang these windows securely. 
While the treated frame is drying, I will be sodering each of these pieces and then treating them with a copper patina. They all will be connected together to make a panel - the two panels will become the middle of each window design. In this picture I had just finished foiling each piece by hand, then smoothing out the foil with my fid. 
Three pictures of the same window design. Excuse the messy white paper underneath. That was where I fluxed and soldered each piece individual...(my work table). You can begin to see now how the overall design will look....I consider this the first layer of design. The foundations look pretty plain - but it is the beginning of the overall look. I will be attaching each crystal on each "v" design, then attach each "v" design on the long columns. They are just laid there now temporarily. The round circular pieces will be soldered into glass (which I have not yet cut). The outlines come from the copper patina chemical process I applied to every piece by hand.
These pictures show an example of how I foil each piece of glass before it is soldered. The copper foil has an adhesive back. Once this is pressed around each edge (individually) I then go back over each piece with a wooden fid which smoothes out any further wrinkles. After this step has been completed. I solder each piece (individually). Then they are ready to be soldered together. 
You can start to see a pattern emerging.....
You can see how the two panels are beginning to evolve. This is just beginning of the journey for these two pieces of art. I will continue to post the progress as this commission must be done within the next month. Still more glass designs will be added. An antique Chandler which belonged to the customer's grandmother is being incorporated within as well as antique glass from the Aldridge Hotel in Shawnee, Oklahoma. The historic old hotel located near main street is now turned into a upscale senior living project. When they began the renovation years ago I saw all of the things they were taking out of the hotel to throw away. I asked a gentleman what they were going to do with the old glass and he said.."Do you want it?" and I said "SURE". It is beveled and very thick. 
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