Liliana at work...

This is what it looks like.
This is what it sounds like.
This is what it feels like...
I love love melting glass :)

In this video, I'm making a focal glass bead with layers and layers of petals; the flowers will eventually be encased. While I'm at the torch, I often listen to WBUR which you're hearing in the background. In the evenings I switch to Paradise Radio.

New LilianaBead Work featured at Natick Artists Open Studios

Silence is golden..
I don't think this saying works in this paradigm and yet I have a lot of silence in my everyday life.
I go to the studio in the morning -usually around 8am or so, turn NPR on and listen to it while working with my glass.
Every once in a while I chat with my studio mates and fellow artists with whom I share projects and ideas. Most late evenings I go home and become an active member of a family of 7 - not exactly golden and not exactly silence... :)
What about blogging? Hence this entry.

Natick Artist Open Studios is coming up on October 16 and 17 here in Natick.
I will be in my studio #2 at 43 Main on the second floor. At least two new collections will be there for your viewing.

I have a new collection of beads--inspired by the concept of water—into which I incorporate fine silver wire. This design is built on a specialty of mine - fine silver inside glass. The wire technique introduces continuity while a prism of layers and layers of clear give the sensation of movement in these pieces. This is a collection built on my visual and social experience of water - while I know what water looks like and feels like, the moment of seeing moving water is undeniably fleeting. Each time I look at one of these beads I see something different.

I've heard wonderful feedback from my customers about these beads and several of them have become partners in aesthetically driven relationships... :) Yes, they are out there...

There is another collection that may interest you. This one is a result of my collaboration with Marie Picard Craig - a Natick artist photographer. She's been working with me on my tutorials and occasionally photographing my work for a couple of years now. Marie's talent and skill nurtured and fueled her interest to incorporate the photographs of my beads into her photos of nature. The end-result is simply amazing!

Marie and I are working on a book on the fruits of our creative relationship. In the meantime, we published a calendar to hopefully tease your interest and get you excited about our collaborative work.
If you can't make it to the Open Studios and would like to acquire this calendar, please e-mail me to inquire about cost etc.

Looking forward to hearing from and/or seeing you.
Cheers

To learn more about the Natick Artists Open Studios and the participants, go to www.natickartistsopenstudios.com
To see examples of Marie Picard Craig's Work, visit her website at www.mariecraigphoto.com

SOWA begins this week-end and then off for a week of teaching at Snow Farm

My show season begins this week-end:

May 15 &16 - The opening weekend of the SoWa Open Market
@ 460 Harrison Ave, Boston
10am to 5pm

It's supposed to be a beautiful weekend!

Hope to see you there!

Please note that I will not be in the studio during the scheduled showroom hours on Saturday, May 15.

On Sunday, May 16 I will be heading down to Snow Farm for a week of teaching.
Be back on the 22nd.
See you then!

Featured on ArtDailyMuse by Susan Lomuto

If you've never been on this street, you have to stroll there at least once and I guarantee you'll want to live there!

http://dailyartmuse.com/

Susan Lomuto, the brain behind Daily Art Muse, has a sharp eye, keen nose and a sixth sense when it comes to quality handcrafted collections.

And I don't mean just my work :)


I hope you're enjoying the colors and scents of Spring...
Peace.

Stories of self-transformation

This morning I was reading "A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian," a novel by Marina Lewycka, when Phil joined me. I giggled and read aloud to him:

But this is all in the past, Nadia. Why you have such bourgeois preoccupation with all personal history?

A few minutes later, Phil said, "When you're ready to take a break let's watch a few videos."
As he prepares to teach a course in conflict resolution, Phil is searching the web for interesting material to show in class.

The website we went to is Communication and Conflict where you will have the opportunity to view a multitude of videos on understanding conflict in communication. The purpose of these videos is to unveil a process by which the person who perceives a conflict is step-by-step led to understand it from the viewpoint of his/her own ultimate needs.

Seeing these videos while reading my book, living my life, with multiple daily opportunities to manage conflict and perhaps even understand my role in it, I found the interactions in these videos entertaining and affirming.

Conflict is socially constructed and it is driven by interpretations we choose to privilege. However, ultimately, to pursue our desire to liberate the self and experience peace and fulfillment, we must be responsible for our language use and what it accomplishes.

All this has me thinking...
You?

Do come by the Fountain Street Open Art Studios this week-end.

14Th Fountain Street Open Studios Weekend

April 9 - 11, 2010
Friday 6:00 - 9:00 pm
Saturday/Sunday 11am - 5 pm

Do come by and say hello.
The plethora of art and inspiration, the wonderful conversations and laughter - I've witnessed it all every year I've gone to visit or participate at Fountain Street Studios.

This time I will be there with my pieces together in Marie's Craig and Gesa's Lenhert studio on the fifth floor. The best way is to come all the way up, spend some time with us and then stroll down and visit the studios on the floors below. We guarantee a great start to your visit of the Open Studios :)

Click here to download the brochure.

I'm looking forward to seeing you this week-end.
Please note that I will not be at my showroom this Saturday.

Spring is in the air and new designs are fueling my spirits...

It's been a couple of months since Phil and I returned from Costa Rica.
What a trip it was! We met wonderful people and saw beautiful places.

I feel that only now I suddenly have the urge to nurture the excitement I experienced while admiring the lushness of the forests and farmland, and the splendor of the Costa Rica flora and fauna. I felt it, I saw it and I heard it from our friend Eli who finished each sentence with an exclamation, "Purrrrrrrra Vida!" I burst into laughter each time she said it as if she was saying it for the first time. The fire in her eyes and the passion in her heart surprised me with its air of innocence and sincere love for her surroundings.

I was very impressed by the La Paz Waterfall Gardens where we spent several hours getting acquainted with and enjoying the ambience created for and by the flora, fauna and the visitors. I fell in love with the curious toucans and admired the serenity of the wild cats. I thoroughly enjoyed the insect and especially the butterfly sections where one could follow the metamorphosis. As we walked from one part of the Observatory to the other, the eggs unravelled themselves into larvae turned pupae and here they were: the butterflies emerging from the chrysalis and unveiling their intricate designs and elegance.

As I was taken in by the experiences at the parc and the volcano trips we took, I didn't take one picture. Ever since a whale-watching trip where I took a bunch of photos and couldn't remember a thing afterwards, I decided that I would photograph with my eyes. Upon return, I researched and found a photographer whose work of the Rain Forest I connected to the most.
His name is Thomas Marent and his nature photography is exceptional and inspiring.

So, here are some images of the glass pieces I created while fueled by the memories and the wonderful photographs (see above). They will be available soon in my artfire shop.

Enjoy :)

PS: The images below are from the La Paz Waterfall Gardens website.

A New Tutorial: Heart Pendant

It's just a week before St. Valentine's and I finished my new tutorial.

I'm thrilled to be able to share this technique with whoever's interested.

Ever since I learned to make hearts I've been feeling the same thing while creating - captured by the hot glass moving to the rhythm of gravity.
A nice journey which always turns into a beautiful heart.

Looking forward to your feedback.


Happy St. Valentine's :)
May we all give and have love. May we all keep learning how to love and be loved gracefully...

Have you made a donation to help the Haitians yet?

On January 12, 2010, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck near the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince.

The international Red Cross estimated 45,000 to 50,000 people were killed in Tuesday's cataclysmic earthquake, based on information from the Haitian Red Cross and government officials. Worries mounted, meanwhile, about food and water for the survivors, according to Associated Press.

Please help by making a donation to your charitable organization of choice.

A few international organizations are listed below to help get you started (CLICK to link):

• American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/
• Doctors Without Borders http://doctorswithoutborders.org/
• UNICEF http://www.unicef.org/
• nethope http://www.nethope.org/

You can also text "HAITI" to "90999" and a donation of $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts, charged to your wireless bill.

The needs are overwhelming. Thousands are believed to be trapped in collapsed buildings after the 7.0 magnitude earthquake, with an additional 3 million Haitians in need of aid. The Red Cross has committed $10 million to the Haiti relief effort, up from an initial $1 million yesterday. They've now raised an unprecedented $3.4 million from cell phone donations alone !

Thank you !