![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ls1H4gt-dwA/UecGfXEZp0I/AAAAAAAADCA/Ci1f4C8U_j8/s400/hot.glass.houston.michael_janis.glass.sgraffito.teach.jpg) |
The students in Michael Janis’ “Visualizations in Glass” circle around the instructor. |
Our urban cowboy, Professor Janis, returns to Washington, DC after a teaching stint on the wide open ranges of Hot Glass Houston – looking a bit like he was rode hard and put away wet. (Like he normally does, without benefit of photoshop services.) He had a great time, and sent some photos of his frit powder imagery class, and tales of sitting by the campfire with the class.
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I9c7q-LXpgA/UecHE5SDkGI/AAAAAAAADCI/JWBkXsECxlg/s400/frit_powder.drawing.Michael_Janis.teach.bullseye_glass.jpg) |
The students learned how to create imagery from frit powder. |
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eFKC23syk0Y/UecHnQa8-FI/AAAAAAAADCQ/-8FrtqHLodg/s400/bullseye_glass_powder.imagery.kiln.warm.houston.class.jpg) |
The students dove right in, creating a series of samples of different techniques. |
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eQYU3w7WJXQ/UecH82EJFCI/AAAAAAAADCY/twpj0u3_e5U/s200/lisa.blanchard.art.glass.texas.jpg) |
The class was very focused. |
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KroVLaKEAOw/UecILXLvhKI/AAAAAAAADCk/os3VfdE49Z4/s200/lisa.blanchard.glass_crow.sgrafitto.jpg) |
The students each created great images |
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v9OttzucEdk/UecJH2p7CAI/AAAAAAAADCw/Eu1TYPsPyxQ/s320/Mike_janis.glass.class.instructor.teaches.jpg) |
A light touch…Michael divulged all his secrets of how to create fused layered images from frit powers and other media. |
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7U1Wejp9SkI/UecJ3IrZeZI/AAAAAAAADC4/E2Aape_gFGA/s320/fused.frit_powder.drawing.glass.sgraffito.jpg) |
Besides the sgraffito technique, the students learned how to deconstruct an image into separate layers. |
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zmECtfHYMWM/UecKt3d87eI/AAAAAAAADDE/heZnykf2zpY/s320/kathy.jordan.glass.sample.houston.art.jpg) |
The images were assembled and fused into narrative studies – getting the 3 day class ready for larger works that pulled all the techniques together. |
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qgtlo-afIK8/UecLY0KoyOI/AAAAAAAADDM/JxjHikwR-XI/s400/cynthia_gilkey.glass_artist.houston.jpg) |
Cynthia Gilkey works on a piece that incorporates a tribute to her mother, Rieko. |
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NHJpZ7MHWNk/UecLtwlTERI/AAAAAAAADDU/j9viaRuSl_M/s200/cynthia.gilkey.Reiko.sgraffito.jpg) |
Cynthia’s artwork as she worked. |
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C_WpbVXNXNk/UecMlVWLCXI/AAAAAAAADDk/lpjMQoQTuDA/s200/cynthia.gilkey.glass.bullseye.fused.imagery.jpg) |
The finished work. |
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/---Qk0pA8GBk/UecNidFijoI/AAAAAAAADD0/aCaaxoojM98/s200/kathy.walsh.jordan.glass.narrative.imagery.jpg) |
Glass artist Kathy Jordan Walsh shows off her imagery skills. |
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n5Gxdcllgds/UecPBVtdeBI/AAAAAAAADEE/PlDzPtdo-Gs/s200/in.kiln.glass.jpg) |
A dam built around the glass stack keeps the glass from flowing out during the firing process. |
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bQU5N_fNJT0/UecPfQWN4-I/AAAAAAAADEM/5ocTgu549Yc/s320/Kathy.jordan.glass.imagery.jpg) |
After firing, the colors mature – what a great piece! |
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3aGQCA6BzTg/UecQfnKiD-I/AAAAAAAADEc/_fH5l-i3V38/s400/BE.learn.kiln.fused.glass.dam.houston_class.jpg) |
The glass sets up their works inside the kiln – listening intently to Cynthia as she outlines how to minimize air bubbles and “edge needles”. |
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aaqPIBRz_NE/UecQ57lE7II/AAAAAAAADEk/yooWA5WjMU8/s400/be.bullseye.hot.glass.houston.scraffito.mike_janis.jpg) |
The finished works as they are removed from the kiln. |
Was there cattle rustling? Certainly.
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NGJySd0kbtk/UefwPsBrm_I/AAAAAAAADE0/gvJJGWgJ8H4/s400/texas.cow_tipping.houston.jpg) |
Houston has no zoning – the view from Michael’s hotel. Cow tipping allowed. |
Bowling with armadillos…in the glass studio? Natch.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-daMIdKT-wv8/Uef5s5s8mvI/AAAAAAAADFM/UdyevbjPFmE/s200/armadillo.houston.glass.jpg)
Honkey-Tonks and wet t-shirt contests? Hell yeah – This is Texas, after all!
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_x6quzRbt0Q/Uefw0qynBpI/AAAAAAAADE8/qfF-RCYCWVQ/s320/hot_glass_houston.fun_class.jpg) |
Opposite from Hot Glass Houston studio is the Red River Dance Hall & Saloon. |
A great time was had at a great place!
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b0F8lg3vWB4/Uef67yLGGlI/AAAAAAAADFc/nHHxsFwyZxg/s320/hot_glass.houston.class.fun.jpg) |
Afterwards, the class celebrates a fun session. |