Before any ornament painting can take place, I sketch out my ideas for new designs on newsprint paper with pencils. These designs are then painted on watercolor paper to develop the details. Once they have been completely painted on paper, the process begins on the glass. Every ornament is picked up and set down a minimum of 12 times, in the process of painting them to completion. First is a layer of self-sealing paint. This layer lays out the design and adheres the additional layers of paint to the surface. Multiple layers of paint is used next to define the design. This is followed by shading and highlighting the objects in the design. Next is the detail stage, my favorite part of the process. This is when the snowpeople come to life. Lastly, I add the “sparkle” that makes each ornament “pop”. I paint trays of ornaments in rotation so each layer of paint, etc has time to thoroughly dry. It can take days for one tray to come to completion. There are anywhere between 6 to 15 bulbs on a tray. (I designed the trays, as well as, the entire process start to finish.) I have been painting my ornaments and personalizing them for customers for 30 years. Thank you for considering me for participation in your show.
I started my line of hand painted family ornaments over 30 years ago. I had a vision of a Grandmother handing down a keepsake ornament to her granddaughter. The Grandmother would tell the Granddaughter, "These ornaments are family heirlooms that Grandma has collected for several years for this very moment. They are a celebration of family remembrances preserved on Handpainted Glass, to be treasured for generations to come." My motto is This is Where Memories become Heirlooms!
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