Glass Fusion Studios of Vermont

Custom Stained Glass Windows

2010-04-30T06:37:00Z

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick note to say that Glass Fusion Studios of Vermont, located in Bennington, Vermont is a full service stained glass studio. We offer custom design stained glass and leaded glass windows. We handle everything from initial concept and design to color selection, building and installing your window.

Glass Fusion Studios of Vermont also handles stained glass and leaded glass window repairs and restorations.

If you have any questions, please email us at sales@glassfusionstudios.com

What can we build for you?

Joe

Bennington Vermont weather has been this April, warmer than usual for an April in New England.

Southern Vermont Arts Center

2010-04-03T17:53:00Z

Hi Everyone,

Well, I Kathie Taylor of the Southern Vermont Arts Center stopped by my studio the other day and we picked out some of my work she would like to have in the SVAC Gift Shop this year.

It's nice to know that someone likes your work well enough to have it in their store for sale. Now I just need to get working on what she wants and we'll be all set. Off to work.

I create stained glass and leaded glass windows. Let's work together on a design that will be perfect for your home or office.

I also do wholesale work, so if you would like some of my pieces in your shop or store, let me know.

Have a great day.

Joe

My stained glass studio is located in Bennington, Vermont

Artscape

2010-04-03T17:44:00Z

Well, I made a tough decision, and I won't be applying to Artscape in Baltimore this year. I just don't have the time to devote to creating a lot of new work that may or may not sell. I need to focus on more local (Northeast) venues where I could either sell my work wholesale or get it into gift shops and artists guilds.

Maybe once things calm down a bit I could focus on the show next year.

For those of you who don't know it, I make custom stained glass and custom leaded glass windows for your home or office here in my Bennington Vermont stained glass studio.

Contact me for a quote.

I also do stained glass and leaded glass repairs.

Enjoy your day.

Joe

Today's weather in Bennington Vermont - Well, I'm writing this on 4/3/10 for future posting, so it's sunny today, don't know with the next few days will bring.

Sunny Day

2010-04-03T17:36:00Z

Hi All,

Just had to write a quick blog today. I'm on my deck, it's in the high 70's and it's the first real warm sunny day of the year. As I look out over my back yard and all the chores to be done in the coming months. I also think of all the stained glass work I have to complete. Spring as we all know is a time of renewal and clearing out old stained and leaded glass projects is no different. Goals are always good things to have, and mine is to finish the 3 projects I have by then end of April. Should be an attainable goal, and I look forward to clearing off my work benches and move on to new work.

Hope you are all enjoying the day as I am.

Oh, and if you or anyone you know needs or wants a custom designed and custom made stained glass window or leaded glass window just let me know. I also do stained glass repairs.

Enjoy your day!

Joe

Bennington Vermont weather is SUNNY and WARM!

Artscape

2010-02-25T13:16:00Z

Hello

I may be headed to Maryland and Virginia this week, weather permitting, to visit Anna Croyle and my brother.

Anna and I worked together in my Stained Glass Studio in Baltimore Maryland and we are going to chat about whether or not we are going to share a booth at Artscape, which is a 3 day arts fair in Baltimore held each year in mid July.

There are a lot of things to discuss, like signage, what product to have displayed, advertising etc, but it will be fun to visit Anna and her family.

Then is off to Virginia to visit my brother and his family for 2 - 3 days...will be fun.

Have a great day.

Joe

PS - Don't forget if you are looking for a custom made Stained Glass Window, or Leaded Glass Window I'm your guy. Let our Stained Glass Studio create just the perfect piece of Stained Glass for your home, business or place of worship.

Customer Stained Glass

2010-02-23T13:00:00Z

Morning,

I have been receiving a lot of calls and emails lately for pricing on stained glass repair projects. I find this happens every year in last Winter as people look forward to Spring and taking care of projects that have been sitting for a while. Currently, I have four repair projects in my studio. One I need to install, when it gets warmer, so I can glaze the outside of the window, two are parts of a nine piece skylight and one was just dropped off the other day, which dropped from it's chain and broke several pieces.

I find it interesting that I get so much repair work through my website and I'm not complaining, but I also like people to know that I do custom one of a kind Stained Glass Windows. We do the work from design, to color choices to making each window by hand to installation.

My studio is located in Bennington, Vermont, which is in Southwestern Vermont, in what they call the "Shires of Vermont". I'm located less than an hour from the Capital Region of Albany, New York and only 15 minutes North of the Massachusetts border and the Berkshires.

So, if you are looking for custom made, one of a kind stained glass window, no matter where in the world you live, let me be the one to make it for you.

Thanks for reading.

Joe

Bennington, Vermont weather today is snow flurries.

One Hundred for $100.00

2010-02-17T01:43:00Z

Just thought I'd write a bit about the Better Bennington Corporations, Arts Committee art event coming up in March.

We are having a juried art show offering 100 pieces of artwork for $100 each. It's a great event, and this year our entertainment is the local jazz band Blueprint. Should be a fun time.

Joe

PS - If you are looking to have a custom made stained glass window, let me know, I'd love to chat about your project. I also do repairs and restorations.

Fused Glass

2010-02-12T00:28:00Z

I'm working on some sets of glass dishes. One large rectangular platter and two to four smaller, 4x4 inch dishes.

I'm hoping that they will be more marketable as a set, rather than having to purchase the items separately. I missed the submission deadline for the one hundred for $100 art show happening in Downtown Bennington at the end of March. I was hoping to have a quiet January, so I would have time to make some new work for the show, but it's been a crazy month and I didn't get to make any new work so exhibit. I want to get ahead of the game for any further shows that may come up. I need to be ready, how else does an artist make his money!

I own a stained glass and fused glass studios in Bennington, Vermont. I offer custom stained glass and leaded glass windows along with design and stained glass repairs. I also create and sell utilitarian fused glass items.

View and buy my work on Etsy.com Look for my Glass Fusion Studios of Vermont store.

Thanks for reading.

Joe

Bennington Vermont

2010-02-08T00:15:00Z

I thought I would write a about where I live, Bennington, Vermont. It's a great little town, or large town by Vermont standards. We are actually the sixth largest town in the state at about 16,000 people. It is a historic town with a great arts community. We have the Bennington Museum, The Vermont Arts Exchange, Southern Vermont Arts Center, Sonatina Piano School, Bennington Arts Guild & Gallery, several galleries, the Covered Bridge Museum, along with several dozen (if not more) artists and crafts people.

My vision of an even greater arts community would be to see an old building renovated into artists lofts and working studios. Offering classes, gallery walks, open studios and the like.

Thanks for reading.

Joe

Bennington, Vermont is a great place to be an artist.....email me and I can tell you why.

Studio Work

2010-02-05T00:10:37Z

I've been busy in the studio lately, working on some new projects involving some slumped glass from a local glass blower. I take some of his cast offs and flatten them in my kiln. I then copper foil them and add the to a window with stained glass.

It's a great way to add interest to a window.

I hope to add photos soon.

Joe

Bennington, Vermont weather today was cold but sunny

Classes

2010-01-11T09:25:00Z

I'm in the process of putting together a schedule of stained glass classes. My first of 2010 I hope to have up and running in March.

I'll have new patterns, and keep the classes small, probably no more than 4 students at a time.

I'll have both a beginners and an intermediate class, where students can pick their own projects (with my approval).

I'm looking forward to teaching again, as it's been over a year since I held my last class.

Enjoy the day!

Joe

Vermont Stained Glass, Southern Vermont Stained Glass, The Shires of Vermont, Stained Glass Vermont, The Shires, North Shire, South Shire, Bennington Stained Glass, Stained Glass Repairs, Stained Glass Custom work, stained glass classes. www.glassfusionstudios.com

New Website

2010-01-08T09:17:00Z

Hello,

I have decided that it's time for a new website presence. Troy has found me a software product where I can make my own website, update myself and as often as i like. I'm hoping that it will give me the look that I want.

My current website, designed by a professional, doesn't allow me to update it myself, as I don't know HTML, so I have to shell out $60 an hour to have someone else update it for me...nice gig.

I hope to add a classes page, a for sale page and it will be easier for me to add new windows I've done, or rotate all the windows I've done over the years, just to keep the site fresh, and show what I can do.

So, I hope to have my new site done by Spring 2010, keep and eye out for it.

Have a happy 2010!

Joe

Bennington Vermont weather today - cold, chance of snow.

Vermont Stained Glass and Southern Vermont Stained Glass, along with New England Stained Glass, Bennington Stained Glass, Stained Glass Vermont too.

One Hundred for $100.00

2009-12-23T01:15:00Z

The Arts Committee of the Better Bennington Corporation is planning it's 2nd annual One Hundred for $100 event coming in March of 2010.

After last years event, we had hundreds of people attend and most of the artwork was sold!

One Hundred for $100 basic premise is there are 100 pieces of artwork by varied artist that sell for $100 each. It's a great event. We plan to have at least 100 pieces of artwork, food, and music.

If interested in this event as an exhibitor, let me know and I'll send you the prospectus. If you just want to attend this free event, the location is still TBD, but I'll get you the information I currently have.

Just let me know.

Thanks,

Joe

PS - Don't forget, I can do custom stained / leaded glass windows for anyone anywhere...so don't let my location here in Bennington, Vermont scare you off.

Snow Storm

2009-12-20T08:21:00Z

Hi All,

Well, we here are Glass Fusion Studios of Vermont are missing the big blizzard that is hitting a lot of the East Coast today. It's bittersweet as I would love to have a blizzard to stay home and work on some glass projects, and snowshoeing, but I won't miss the shoveling.

I have a couple new projects in the works. One is a repair for one of the student housing homes at Bennington College. It's a repair of a damaged leaded glass window, and should be a fairly easy repair.

The other project is a small lamp shade made out of discarded optical lenses I came across. Each lens is wrapped in aluminum and I spent some time copper foiling them to get ready to build the lamp.

I'll blog about each project separately as I get to them...hopefully in the next few days.

Hope all is well.

Stay warm.

Joe

Bennington, Vermont weather - change of snow (1 inch) and cold.

It's my birthday

2009-12-17T01:11:00Z

Well, I just had to say that today is my birthday.

Thanks in advance for all your well wishes, and gifts I know you'll be putting in the mail tomorrow.

Joe

Bennington Arts

2009-12-17T00:56:00Z

Hi Everyone, well I survived the family Thanksgiving and everyone had a great time.

One of my goals as the Chairman of the Arts Committee, was / is to help make and market Bennington, VT as an Arts Destination. One of the ways I thought was through a website that was a one stop for all things arts in the area. We had set the site up but after lackluster support and marketing of the site, it was decided to drop the website idea, much to my disappointment.

It's been about 6 months since the decision was made to cancel the site and a fellow Artist, Tony Conner, and I met to re-invigorate our interest in getting the site up and running again, so we have brought the site back. We will be editing the site, getting a blog going and adding arts events to the site.

Our goal of the website is to have a one stop location for artists, local arts related attractions, and visitors to Bennington for arts events. So we want artists to join, and put a bio, photos etc, as another way of marketing themselves, and as a community builder. We want to add the attractions, museums, galleries etc so visitors can find an event they may want to attend.

The site will take a lot of work to get up and looking good, but it is currently available, so, take a look and we are open to any suggestions you may have.

www.benningtonarts.com

Have a great day.

Joe

Bennington, Vermont weather, COLD, COLD, COLD

Inspiration

2009-12-03T04:28:00Z

Hello,

Well, it's 11:30 pm, and I'm watching some lame tv show, and I thinking about my next blog entry. I usually have a difficult time in thinking of something to write about, I used to think that I was just procrastinating, but in reality I need to be inspired to have something to say...so, now that the Thanksgiving holiday is past us, hope you had a great one, I'm starting to come back thinking about glass and my next projects. However, the blog is on my mind and to get back to my title, "inspiration".

I guess for me, inspiration can come from anywhere, and anything. I actually get some great color ideas from tv. I see a color combination that is new, and I translate that into my glass work, whether it's stained glass for my fused glass work. My problem is that I'm easily distracted and can often go off on tangents and have a hard time re-focusing on the task at hand, but I understand that's the way I work and I'm getting more comfortable in dealing with it.

Like I've stated before here in one of my posts, I had a pattern sitting on my table for months and I would pass it every day, several times a day and I had a hard time picking colors/glass for the design, I couldn't see the finished window with color, then one day I was passing this pattern and I stopped, immediately picked out the glass and began to cut the window.....I can't force decisions, it I do, I'm usually not happy, yet in order to get work done, that is what I need to do at times, but again, that's what happens, the perfect idea, color, decision just pops into my head...now I may be sub-consciencely be thinking about it, but I don't know it until it hits me.

So, I guess my inspiration just seems to appear, an idea, color, shape etc, sits in my brain for a while and then comes to the forefront and I flow with it.

Don't know if this makes sense to folks, or if I even got my point across, so ask me any questions you may have, whether it's on stained glass, fused glass, repairs or inspiration, I'm happy to hear what you have to say.

Have a great week.

Joe

Bennington, VT weather - COLD, and rain is on it's way

Optical Glass

2009-11-23T10:56:00Z

Hi Folks,

Well, I have a couple hundred discs of colored glass, some wrapped in aluminum frames, and I'm trying to wrap my head around what to do with them. I have some of them laid out on my light table and the colors are fun and interesting.

I got the discs at an optical company in Vermont, that sells their scrap and the colors change as the light changes or as you move and look at them from different angles. That's why I think they would look great in a glass project, but just not sure what that is. Some are mirrored and I think I'll glue them onto a piece of mirror on the edge for a funky effect, but I haven't a clue on all the colored discs. I may return most of them as they are all 1" in diameter or smaller and making a project with them will be time consuming and difficult. They have larger disc that I think will have a better overall effect when done in a hanging window.

I want to make some different glass windows as I'm thinking of participating in Artscape in Baltimore next Summer with a friend of mine, Anna Croyle, who is a stained glass artist and a stained glass window designer. Anna actually has 5 stained glass pattern books published by Dover Publications, just do a search for her and you'll find the books. I've made many of the designs and they are fun.

I want to offer something different for folks who may not want traditional stained glass windows, something with a funky feel, or maybe just a different take on colored glass windows, stay tuned this winter for my new projects and photos.

Creating a new custom stained glass window takes a bit of time to get the design just right, and for me sometimes the hardest part is to come up with an idea. I usually think about it for a bit, depending on what needs to be done and then all of a sudden I'll get an idea and I'm off. That happens more times than not.

I once has a pattern on my work table for a few months, not knowing what colors would look best. i walked past that pattern several times a day, not consciously thinking about it, but in the back of my mind the project was there. Then one day, I walked past the pattern, stopped, pulled out all the class, set it next to the pattern and it was done. It seemed like an easy decision when I was done, but until I got to that point, I just couldn't get the colors in my mind. It just works differently all the time.

Enjoy your day.

Joe

Another Repair Project Completed

2009-11-20T10:49:00Z

Hello,

Well, is 5:50 am and for some reason I'm wide awake, probably woke to the rain pounding the house...so it's up and at 'em with coffee and a quick blog.

I finished my 3 window repair project last night, with pick-up set for Saturday. They windows came out great and two of the three just needed to be repaired and not completely re-built.

I always find it difficult to tell people when they call or send photos what really needs to be done to a window until I see it in person. So, this customer actually saved $600 from my original estimate, since they did not require as much work as originally thought.

These windows were leaded, clear glass windows. I stripped old paint, re-glazed and cleaned them up.

I think they will be happy with the work.

now on the my next project...I'll have pictures of those two windows. They are 2 of I think 9 sections of a skylight and they are extremely bowed windows. Should be an interesting repair...stay tuned.

Joe

Today weather....RAIN

Stained Glass Maple Leafs

2009-11-14T11:16:00Z

Hi,

Well, I thought I'd chat about my stained glass maple leafs that I make. In my studio / retail store, they were one of my biggest sellers.

I also sold a number of them to the Bennington Museum Gift Shop and to a local art & craft retail store. I've probably made close to 300 + over the last few years.

They are a great thank you gift, I put some on my Christmas Tree, and in my windows for year round color.

What I really like are the Autumn colors of the leaves, the bright reds, oranges and yellows that just pop in the window when the sun hits them. I'm not a huge fan of make a lot of small projects and sun catchers, but my Maple Leaf is the only sun catcher project I'll make.

I'm currently sold out and need to make more. Over the winter I hope to build up my supply and get them into shops and my online store at Etsy.com You can check out my finished work. Just go to Etsy.com and look for Glass Fusion Studios of Vermont and I should pop up. I have a mixture of my custom stained glass work and fused glass.

This photo was taken in my photo booth, which I am still learning to use. The leaf below is of course hanging in my window. Originally I had them hanging upside down from their stem, then later added the hook to the top, so people can hang them either way....They look great in a grouping of them in a window, looks like Autumn leaves year round.

If interested in purchasing a leaf, drop me an email. They come in all Autumn colors, but I also make them in other colors as well. I have a red white and blue maple leaf for patriotic folks, and people who like country decor really love tthem.

I can make a leaf in any color you like. just let me know.

Here is one of my leaves. I have this one hanging upside down

Thanks for stopping by, have a great day.

Bennington, VT weather.....hard to say, I wrote this blog on the 12th of November and will post it for a later date.