It's a Sassy New Year! {one-of-a-kind fused glass art | Knoxville, TN}

Sassy Glass Studio wishes everyone a Sassy 2010!

The Sassy Glass Studio blog typically showcases some of our one-of-a-kind fused glass art, lets you know where we are or will be displaying our work or sharing photos of recent creations or students learning how to create their own fused glass goodness, but I have decided to share more about the people who make Sassy Glass Studio what it is. So, now you can expect to find out a little bit about me, Lisa and my ever-present and super helpful husband, Allan. We like to call our little slice of Fountain City heaven, Creativity Central because it houses not only the Sassy Glass Studio glass studio and 'shop' but is also the headquarters for our professional photography business, ALM Photo. There is always something interesting going on around here even if it only laughing uncontrollably while trying to shower the kitten after she decided to take a swim in an unflushed toilet (true story!).

In case you were wondering...All of the Sassy Glass Studio images are taken by me (perhaps one day Allan will lend me a hand...hint, hint!) with my trusty Canon 5D and I am often asked by other artists who like my images if I will photograph their work. Well, the answer is I would, if they would pay me, but as a 'starving artist' myself I know that I couldn't afford to pay someone to take my photographs. Perhaps one day I will offer a class on how to take the best photographs possible with the camera you have. Let me know if you would be interested in this type of class. I also began offering fused glass classes this past summer and have recently expanded my studio space to include a 'classroom' and 'shop' so that student will have more room and I can display some of my work for customers, clients and students. Classes are conducted for one to four students at this time (perhaps more in the future!) and would love to teach you how to create your own fused glass goodness. There will be more on the expanded space and classes in future posts so stay tuned!

Update :: Things have been crazy busy around Creativity Central since the beginning of December and it's not looking like it will get less hectic any time soon. Allan and I traveled Christmas Day to Jennings, FL to photograph motorcycle tracks days for four days and returned on December 30th in the wee hours of the morning. We shot well over 12000 images from 9 o'clock in the morning until about 5 every afternoon. Long days, that started out frigid, but so much fun and, we hope, profitable. I didn't know I would love photographing fast motorcycles as much as I did or that I would actually be quite good at it. By the last day I was positioning myself about 10 feet from the edge of the track and getting much better shots than when I started off the first day about 50 feet away. You can see some of the images on the ALM Photo Facebook page and as soon as they are uploaded (a ridiculously long process) they will be available on our website.

I hope you will find the 'behind-the-scenes' information in future postings to be interesting and let you get to know me (and Allan!) better. We'd love to show you the glass studio and 'shop' next time you are in the Fountain City area, so give us a holler and we will tell you how to find us.

Here are a couple of pieces that were created in December...

Be sure to check out the Sassy Glass Studio Etsy shop,

follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook!

We Have a Winner! :: First Fused Glass Pendant Giveaway

Relaxation, an awesome art show, friends, photography and good food and drinks have taken precedent over work the last few days. Therefore, with that all said, I am finally getting around to announcing the winner of the first Sassy Glass Studio fused glass pendant giveaway and the air is crackling with the sheer excitement!

Congrats to Monica Boukhalfa of Centennial, Colorado! Monica will receive the pendant below via USPS Priority Mail as soon as I return to Knoxville from Jacksonville.

Two Hearts Beat As One...

Sassy Glass Studio @ Home Show- Jacksonville, FL

Sassy Glass Studio went on the road this weekend to Jacksonville for an @ Home Show with Carol LeTard. The drive to Florida is always interesting and I decided to make a little game for the drive: Five Things. I was to decide on five things that characterized the drive. Not necessarily descriptive words, just whatever would make me think of this trip again. Here are my Five Things:

1. Gas for $1.94

2. Cotton bolls

3. Mistletoe

4. Rock and roll

5. Billboards advertising strippers

I didn't really think it was necessary to advertise strippers, but apparently the economy is affecting everyone these days. Driving affords me the opportunity to do a lot of thinking, especially when I am alone. And I get to hear things I wouldn't during a normal day, like NPR, local coverage of high school football and a lot of country music. I don't really know how to hook my iPod up and I didn't get to the library to check-out any books-on-CD so I was at the mercy of the radio dial for my vocal entertainment. It wasn't bad, just unpredictable. By the time I would find something tolerable to listen to, the signal went all static and I had to go on another push-button adventure to locate some good rock and roll. Ahh, nothing like a little AC/DC to get your mind off of another 5 hours behind the wheel.

So, between the Five Things and an interrupted audible entertainment, I was able to survive the drive and enjoy the wide open road. Me, the magical Prius and load of one-of-a-kind fused glass art...on the road again!

The Sassy Glass Studio @ Home Show was a great success and I must thank Carol for her hospitality, Internet connectivity, biscuits, helping hands and keeping cold beer in the fridge. The next trip can't come soon enough!

Here are a couple of photographs from the Show.

Contact Lisa at Sassy Glass Studio to schedule your @ Home Show today!

Sassy Glass Studio @ Home Show- Jacksonville, FL

Recently, I had the pleasure of conducting my first Sassy Glass Studio @ Home Show for sisters (and dear friends) Denise Shinn and Carol LeTard in Jacksonville, Florida. Denise rounded up over a half dozen of her and Carol's friends for a few hours on a Friday night to enjoy some wine and delicious food while perusing my collection of one-of-a-kind fused glass art. The show was a great success and it was so much fun answering questions and describing my work. The setting was much more intimate than an art show and way more relaxing. I have posted a few photographs from the show. I would especially like to thank my travel buddy, Susan, for giving up one night of our annual Ladies Beach Trip to help me set-up and breakdown for the show.

From the top: Ladies gathered round chatting it up, Carol (left) and Denise (right) preparing the food and drink, Lucky dog, the entry way, Allan's sign came along too, Susan, display including gorgeous new art panel, more display featuring the "Ocean Wave" platter

Now you are intrigued and want to know what exactly is a Sassy Glass Studio @ Home Show anyway? Sassy Glass Studio @ Home Shows are a great way to get some friends together for a few hours, catch up on gossip, learn about fused glass art and find some fabulously unique gifts, jewelry and home accents.

Sounds great, but you want to know how it works, right? Space permitting, I bring my entire current inventory, as well as tables and covers, and set it up in your home similarly to how I do at an art show. Set-up and breakdown each take about one hour and the Show need only take up to two hours, but can last as long as you and friends decide. I will also assist you with the creation of e-mailable invitations (or regular mail invitations if you so desire).

So, what's in it for me you're wondering? Hanging out with your friends for an evening is fun, but the best part of hosting a Sassy Glass Studio @ Home Show has to be the 10% discount! Your reward for hosting a show is a discount off your purchases- current inventory or custom created pieces- equal to ten percent of sales made at the Show. Example: Your friends spend a total of $1000, you get a $100 discount. How awesome is that? All you have to do is invite your friends (and serve some drinks and appetizers if you wish) and I do the rest.

What are you waiting for? Contact me today to arrange for your own Sassy Glass Studio @ Home Show.

Please note: Although I would prefer to do Home Shows within 100 miles of Knoxville, Tennessee, I will make exceptions, so don't hesitate to ask if you are located outside of East Tennessee. My husband, Allan and I love to travel, and as photographers (http://www.almphoto.com/) we are always looking for fresh locations to shoot.

Art in the Park in Blowing Rock, NC Update

Blowing Rock lived up to its name, dishing up a blustery wind and temperatures in the low 40's during the early morning set up for the art show. We were not geared appropriately for the weather and tempers ran hot while attempting to set up the tent with frozen digits. It appeared that none of the other artists were prepared for the weather either as many were attired in short-sleeves, shorts and Crocs. The wind was merciless and a few artists had to wrangle their wayward tents back into place and a couple of pieces of pottery were noisily dashed to the ground in a splintery splash of hardened clay. Thankfully Sassy Glass Studio's fantastic new tent weathered the wind with little disruption and we didn't experience any shattered glass. Whew!

Shortly after we had the booth ready for the art-loving public our prayers were answered and the sun broke through the clouds and the temperature climbed to that critical point where everyone begins complaining that it is too hot. It was the perfect day to venture out, head to the Park, wander around, look at the creations of the many artist's, and search for that perfect piece for a gift or just something new to display in the home. Many of our customer's were looking for unique wedding gifts and we were able to help them choose just the right piece. (Don't forget Sassy Glass Studio can custom create gifts for any ocassion!)

Sassy Glass Studio will be back at Art in the Park in Blowing Rock on June 14th so come back and visit us again or check out our schedule on the right to see where we will be next. Also, look for the newsletter later this month. Sassy will be hitting the beach in Jacksonville, FL for a little relaxation over the Memorial Day weekend. Relax and enjoy your holiday weekend too!



Allan makes friends with Marie

The booth

Martini glass suncatcher

Faithful sidekick Allan

Some Sassy Glass Studio creations