a job done

We finished all 13 panels for St. Stanislaus Catholic Church yesterday. Installation is set for next Wednesday. They ranged in size from 38” x 38” to 38” x 61”. These panels go into a new wall that was built to create a small lobby inside the main doors to the church. Previously, when you entered the church, you entered the sanctuary. When we were first contacted about the work, the Father wanted angels on the doors and crosses on all the other panels. Fortunately, one of the ladies on the committee didn't think that lived up to the potential of the space and she did an internet search and found us.

We ultimately decided on angels for the doors, and for the rest of the panels we decided on a design motif of the seven sacraments. These are in no particular order...

marriage

confirmation

ordination

extreme unction

baptism

reconciliation

communion

That of course left 2 panels blank. For those we used symbols for the tree of life and the trinity. Later, they added the cry room which we divided into two panels because we simply cannot pick up and move a piece of glass that big. The cry room, for those of you uninitiated in the ways of the catholic, is where mothers (or fathers) go with crying children so that they will not disturb the other worshipers. The Father wanted a design of Jesus with the children. We tied it in by using the same border. We'll be there during the installation and will take pictures so I'll post them later.

We are very happy that we were able to finish the job and get it installed before Easter, if only just. Actually, it could have been installed Monday or Tuesday, but the Father is going to be away those days and he really wants to be there. We are very happy to be done because we have been working pretty much non-stop since late summer. Three big jobs, one after the other, squeezing in two small jobs as well. It's tiring and not just physically. We are ready for a break, some downtime, some time to spend on other of life's necessities. Ready to get back in the studio and do some new pate de verre and cast glass stuff.

The end of this job is also the end of all the contracted work we have. Two maybe out there but I'm only confident of one. Another nibble, in fact turned down doing a logo, but there are other areas in this project for us, so says the art consultant. I hope I didn't put him off by not wanting to do the logo. Really, there was no reason to do it in glass. It could have been much better done in other media. We have banked enough money to see us through for a while but these times always make me nervous.

I could do cold calls but those take so long to bear fruit if I even get a nod. Probably I will check in with certain designers, an email seeing how they are doing. Last year I started to work on a newsletter but then got busy about this time and never really got it going. Perhaps I'll resurrect that idea. I've been neglecting my website and have slipped off the first several pages of the search engines. I should do some sort of promotion. But to tell the truth, I'm tired of having to do that. There are times when I wish I had taken a different path and had some sort of retirement/pension. I know realisticly that even if I had gone that route I very probably would have lost it through two stock market crashes and the bad economy (like other people I know). I might even be unemployed with no options. Or rather the same options I have now. And my life certainly would have been different but I rather doubt, better.

So, here I am in a place I have been many times. I have a few months reprieve and I am ready for a break. Today I took the day off, indulged in doing some spring maintenance in the yard. Tomorrow, more of the same. We are just really happy to be home after being away for a week.

I know this gorgeous weather will give way to the heat and humidity of summer sooner rather than later and so I am going to enjoy as much of it as I can. Plenty of time to get busy in the studio when this has passed.

Life...is good.