Tag Archives: creativity

Writer’s Block

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I open my stats page, already knowing I’ll see lots of blank spots on the calendar that indicates whether I’ve posted to my blog on any given day. It’s been a dry summer, weatherwise and creative writing-wise.

Now the autumn rains are here and my garden projects are on hold. It’s a good time to write. But I need to replace the splintered door frame in the garage. I need to dust the wall-to-wall bookshelves. I need to brush the tangles out of my dog’s wet fur.

I know it will come soon; that irresistible pull toward pen and paper; that need to harvest the thoughts that have been ripening over the summer. My computer dings with an email alert: a writing prompt from dVerse. I fire up the word processor and my mind wanders, far away from doors and dust and wet dog smells.  

lock the garden shed

leaves drop like unfinished thoughts

time to introspect

For dVerse Poets’ haibun Monday: Writer’s Block

Clusters: All Together, Now

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cluster example 5
In yesterday’s post, the definition of bevels included the mention of “geometric configurations (called ‘clusters’) for incorporation into leaded glass work.”

Ah, clusters…

The fun thing about clusters is that you have ready-made pieces that you simply fit together (with copper foil or some type of came, i.e. lead), and then fill in the rest of your pattern with pieces to accomplish the desired panel shape (rectangle, square, circle…).

For example, I purchased a bevel cluster with ten bevels that – when pieced together – would look like this ornate design:

cluster example 1

By cutting glass in the shapes of “1” through “8,” as pictured below, one could turn the design into a rectangular panel with the bevel cluster pieces (“a” through “j” in the diagram) centered within the rectangle. A simple example:

cluster example 2

Something I like to do for fun is use the bevel pieces in a more unconventional way and incorporate them into panels to create entirely different patterns. In the example below I kind of “exploded” the bevel cluster and came up with this design:

cluster example 3

And here is the completed panel:

cluster example 4

I need to work on my window photography.

I titled the panel “Ascending.”

The bevels used in the “Manifest” design that appears on the header of this blog is another example of using a cluster in an unconventional way. Can you guess what the design was originally intended to be?

C  C is for Cluster.

The Bevel You Say!

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Bevel
One way to easily dress up a stained glass panel is to incorporate bevels into the design. While frequently used as borders, individual bevels can also be employed as standalone elements in the overall design of a window or panel.

A bevel, as defined at Glass Patterns Quarterly, is:

“cold glass (usually clear, thick plate) with edges that have been ground and polished to an angle other than 90 degrees. Transmitted light is refracted and a prism-like effect results. Bevels are available in a variety of sizes, shapes and geometric configurations (called ‘clusters’) for incorporation into leaded glass work.”

There was a time when I was downsizing from my three-bedroom home (with garage studio), and moving into a one-bedroom apartment (no garage). I couldn’t see any way that I could find room for a stained glass work area. So I started selling/giving away/using up many of my supplies.

I had a box of triangle-shaped clear bevels that I had purchased with no particular project in mind. I probably got them in some kind of deal, like the “spend just $100 more and get free shipping on your order” offers. Who can pass those up, right?

I decided to make a window based simply around triangle bevels. This is what I came up with:

bevel2

I’m back in a three-bedroom home (two bedrooms and one studio, actually), and glass supplies seem to be slowly accumulating again. I now have a box of ¾ inch by 4 inch rectangular bevels that I bought for no particular purpose (going-out-of-business sale… Hello!). They will no doubt start trickling into future designs.

In the meantime, I can always hang them in my windows and, just like Pollyanna, use them as prisms to create rainbows.

“Just as if anybody’d care when they were living all the time in a rainbow!”
~ Pollyanna, by Eleanor H. Porter

B  B is for Bevel.

Can the Muse Come out to Play?

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Everyone runs through dry spells with creativity.

empty

Weekly Photo Challenge: Rule of Thirds

Most commonly thought of in terms of writing (as in writer’s block), flagging inspiration can happen with any art form. When it happens to me, my inclination is to think, “My God, I’ve lost it. I’ll never come up with an original thought again.”  I’ve learned, however,  to be patient with it, and instead of chasing after the muse, I let her come to me. And she always does… albeit on her own time schedule.

Some ways I’ve found to jump start creativity:

Try your hand at something new. If you are a painter, try writing a poem. Or go on a photo hike and take shots of anything that interests you. If you are a writer, grab a sketch pad and head out to a community park. Draw quick sketches of whatever you see. If you excel in all the arts, go learn to drive a tractor. Whatever you choose to do, don’t focus on the end result being a masterpiece. That’s not the point. The point is to get a different perspective on what you see and think about.

Get a change of scenery. If you live in the city, take a trip to the country or a forest, or the beach. Fresh air inspires fresh ideas. If you spend most of your time in a rural setting, try tapping into the chaotic energy of a nearby city. Don’t have an agenda, just take in the sights and sounds and ambiance.

Exercise. I’m not much of an athlete, but movement of any kind helps get my brain synapses firing a little better. So dance with your cat. Mow the lawn (my personal favorite). Jog or go to the gym if you absolutely have to. Zumba, anyone?

There are tons of ways to get your creative mojo back online. Just be willing to try something new and different from your usual routine, be willing to let go of expectations for specific outcomes, and be patient. Eventually your muse will come out to play, and it will have been worth the wait.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Rule of Thirds