I love this boro room...

Mr. Smiley · #1 2006-10-16, 4:33am

It's so nice to come here to this little corner of LE and actually see people excited and talking about GLASS! I am so tired of politics and fights... You guys have helped make my days better and I just wanted to say thank you!

I was thinking about maybe starting some weekly challenges in here... maybe we could come up with something experimental and fun to do... something that will spread our wings and get us out of the box. What do you think? Any ideas?

pipyr · #2 2006-10-16, 5:51am

I love the idea of a weekly challenge! Woohoo!

Cosmo · #3 2006-10-16, 6:54am

I like challenges where there is a "level playing field". Like only a certain color you can use, or only a certain technique, or something like that...

dogmaw · #4 2006-10-16, 7:14am

I would be out of luck if it was a certain color challenge. Most of my glass is unlabeled shorts from Brent!

Mr. Smiley · #5 2006-10-16, 7:23am

We could keep it to Crayon colors... or to the amber purple family... so Jo could play. How about the warm crayolas and clear... nothing else. I friggin hate orange and yellow cadmium colors! That would be tough...

Another real challenge for me would be to take away my APs.

Cosmo · #6 2006-10-16, 7:29am

I've been using a lot of crayon colors recently. Doing stick stacks and tube pulls and all that. I've been selling a ton of orange and black pieces recently, what with Halloween coming up and everything....

sleekbeads · #7 2006-10-16, 7:48am

I love the idea of a weekly challenge, and that's coming from a boro newbie!
BUT.. I agree that there is no way of knowing what colors people have... so I think you'd maybe have to give an alternative for those of us with a limited boro stash (although I did just go nutz on an order!

)

But whatever, I'm definitely in!

Smiley, I love this room too. Sick of the politics and other crap, but check in this room EVERY single day! whether I have a pic to share or not, I read it all the time!

THANKS!

Joanna

Mr. Smiley · #8 2006-10-16, 9:45am

I was just thinking about this while I was torching... and if this was a competition, I'd agree that the playing field needs to be evened up... but, I am thinking more along the lines of experimentation and giving us something to spread our wings with. I don't know that I like limiting people when it comes to that. Maybe every once in a while, but not as a general rule. I like the idea of people getting super creative and knowing no bounds. Maybe we could do an opal encasement challenge. Give enough warning, so we could get everyone a few opals. They're pretty cheap and easy to do. Then maybe we could have a fuming challenge... again, giving time for those that don't have metals to fume with, time to aquire some. Then maybe a marble challenge... the list can go on and on. I'm pretty stoked about it. Any more ideas?

Cosmo · #9 2006-10-16, 9:51am

Sounds good. I'm becoming quite a fan of opals recently...

sleekbeads · #10 2006-10-16, 10:40am

I agree Smiley,
you said this, "I am thinking more along the lines of experimentation and giving us something to spread our wings with"..... and I got excited.

First of all, when you say challenge, I would be challenging myself.
As a newbie, I'm not nearly up to par with the rest of the experienced, however, joining in challenges would make me try different things that I normally wouldn't do. It's awesome to get that little extra boost of ideas.

It would also be fun if we rotated who puts the challenge idea up, every once in a while... so the ideas are really widespread. Ya think??

looking forward

Joanna

rusticstudio · #11 2006-10-16, 11:02am

I'm lovin' this idea!

dragon myst · #12 2006-10-16, 11:23am

I love the boro room too ! I just wish there were more pictures in the
boro gallery for me to drool over ! From a boro wantabe !!!!

jwelsh · #13 2006-10-16, 12:01pm

i'm up for a challenge!

Cosmo · #14 2006-10-16, 12:15pm

I had an idea for a challenge...

How about seeing how many techniques you can combine into one piece? Encasing, raking, plunging, using canes, using millies, etc.

Lynn Larson · #15 2006-10-16, 12:23pm

I love the boro room too. As far as a challenge? Lately, any time i fire up the torch with the intent to work boro is a challenge

AVCKimberly · #16 2006-10-16, 1:22pm

Love the Boro Room, love the Challenge idea, love the shoes AND the bag!

MichalAnn · #17 2006-10-16, 1:58pm

Every time I work with Boro it is a major challenge. The torch, the flame, the atmosphere, the COLOR, the kiln, the shaping.....! I am not new to lampwork, by today's standards. I have almost 5 years in. I also have 30 years in as a painter and was a professor of art. But BORO often makes me feel like a dope and definately NOT an aesthetician.

I have made down right ugly things (maybe that could be the competition I enter.)

Anyway, group challenges with some consistent parameters sounds really exciting, but to me...it would also be highly educational. If you might be so kind, please also share some technique, chemistry, and torching instruction. Some day I hope to repay the favor.

BTW, the Boro room is my absolute favorite. Your (collective) work rocks.
Michal Ann

HardwoodTrailGlass · #18 2006-10-16, 5:15pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Smiley

It's so nice to come here to this little corner of LE and actually see people excited and talking about GLASS! I am so tired of politics and fights... You guys have helped make my days better and I just wanted to say thank you!

I was thinking about maybe starting some weekly challenges in here... maybe we could come up with something experimental and fun to do... something that will spread our wings and get us out of the box. What do you think? Any ideas?

I agree Smiley! This is almost always my first stop on LE!

I don't think I'd be working Boro at all, had it not been for the thread you started WAY back when. Thank you!

I think it's really cool to see where some of us were then and where we are now. It blows my mind to see the progress. It also gives me hope to see where I 'might' be able to go in the next few years. The talent in this room is phenomenal! The possibilities are endless.

I will be forever grateful to this 'Boro Room', you, Cosmo, Eric, Suzanne, etc for giving me the push and encouragement I needed to give it a go.
Thank you all for giving your time, knowledge and experience so freely.
Ok that was a little too mushy, but.....!

Anyways, I'm up for a challenge; anything to get me moving into other directions!

rusticstudio · #19 2006-10-16, 5:25pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by HardwoodTrailGlass

I don't think I'd be working Boro at all, had it not been for the thread you started WAY back when.

Yeah! It's all your fault!!

e. mort · #20 2006-10-16, 8:26pm

The boro room, gallery, and garage sale are the only places I visit anymore on LE. Long live the boro room!

Eric

ShepherdCreations · #21 2006-10-16, 11:28pm

Well I'm still a boro newbie, less than 7 months under my belt, but I LOVE BORO!!!!! When I use moretti, my mind goes blank, but when I light the torch with boro on the agenda, there are more ideas than I can use in an hour (which is all the time I can sneak out of my day).

This is the best forum anywhere, and the first thing I read when I relax/go online to play. It has more articles I want to read in one place than any other forum area.

OK, so I also think this is a great idea, and hope that the better artists are kind to us total noobs

d whose work won't be anywhere near the awesome work we see in the galleries. It would be cool if people took turns picking themes, or put them in a hat and draw out a diff. one each week, adding new ones when they are suggested. Joy to all the flame workers!!

klrglass · #22 2006-10-16, 11:58pm

Would love to see a challenge - even if my work as a new person to boro is not on par seeing what and how other people do things is great inspiration.

suzanne · #23 2006-10-17, 12:53am

I would love a weekly challenge. I feel like I am completely stuck in my boro skills, this way I might even learn something new with boro.

ps... love this room too

Wonker · #24 2006-10-17, 2:06am

I'm a boro newbie too, but I always learn more when I work with glass a new way....soooo...a challenge sounds like just the thing to try new things and learn new thing about glass.....bring it on.

sleekbeads · #25 2006-10-17, 6:39am

Quote:

Originally Posted by e. mort

The boro room, gallery, and garage sale are the only places I visit anymore on LE. Long live the boro room!

Eric

Me too with the acception of the Chi-town thread... I have to keep tabs on my windy city fire friends, know what I mean!

Jo

sleekbeads · #26 2006-10-17, 6:49am

I have a fun game going in the game-room right now called sisterhood of the traveling bead game. I was thinking this might be a fun game for the boro room.

Here's the details:

One person starts the game out by making a bead.
They also make up a 'baggie of goodies' BORO ONLY ie: glass, frit, opal, fuming wire, whatever, and send it along with the finished bead to the next person in line.

That next person gets to keep the bead as a keepsake.
They have to use the 'ingredients' in the baggie they received to make the next person their bead.

Then, they put a different baggie together and send it and the finished bead to the next player.

So, you get a bead to keep, and the challenge of having to make what was sent to you in the baggie, PLUS, you get to make whatever you want as long as you use the items in the baggie so it IS a challenge, but there is also a freedom of creativity that goes along with it.

It's quite fun and going over quite well.

If you're interested in playing this specifically in the boro room, I'd be willing to be the keeper of the game. Let me know.

Joanna

Cosmo · #27 2006-10-17, 7:38am

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleekbeads

I have a fun game going in the game-room right now called sisterhood of the traveling bead game. I was thinking this might be a fun game for the boro room.

Here's the details:

One person starts the game out by making a bead.
They also make up a 'baggie of goodies' BORO ONLY ie: glass, frit, opal, fuming wire, whatever, and send it along with the finished bead to the next person in line.

That next person gets to keep the bead as a keepsake.
They have to use the 'ingredients' in the baggie they received to make the next person their bead.

Then, they put a different baggie together and send it and the finished bead to the next player.

So, you get a bead to keep, and the challenge of having to make what was sent to you in the baggie, PLUS, you get to make whatever you want as long as you use the items in the baggie so it IS a challenge, but there is also a freedom of creativity that goes along with it.

It's quite fun and going over quite well.

If you're interested in playing this specifically in the boro room, I'd be willing to be the keeper of the game. Let me know.

Joanna

That's not a bad idea. I would be down for something like that.

Joanne Owsley · #28 2006-10-17, 8:05am

Here's another idea for a challenge that wouldn't limit anyone. Someone could post a picture of something - a flower, a sunset, a dog, anything - and the challenge would be to create something out of boro that expresses your impression of the picture.

suzanne · #29 2006-10-17, 10:47am

Joanna sounds like fun! I am in!

rusticstudio · #30 2006-10-17, 11:12am

I'm in on the other Sisterhood game and I'd be in on this one too!