Holiday Open Studio Last Weekend

Last weekend of dazzling demos! Come on over if you can - Saturday and Sunday 10 to 4 December 19, 20.

Holiday Open Studios

It almost never snows in Auburn! Except today! We are open for two more weekends - Saturdays and Sundays December 12, 13 and 19, 20 - from 10 to 4 - Great demos and hot local cider! Come on over!

Red Hat

We had a fun demo for the Red Hat Ladies today!

Autumn Art Studios Tour

It is time for the Autumn Art Studios Tour! 77 artists in 51 locations - November 13, 14 , 15 from 10 to 5. Come visit our studio! We have maps and tickets or you can first preview the artists work and plan your tour at the ARTS Buiding. Watch Rick blow platters from 10 to 2 and Matt blow goblets from 2 to 5. Our neighbor wineries, Fawnridge and Vina Castellano, are open also for tasting. Enjoy a beautiful weekend at the peak of Fall color and come see us at Nicholson Blown Glass!

a special urn

A new urn this week - 10 1/2"H x 5"W in amethyst Earthbound.

Goblets on Saturdays!

Matt will be making goblets on Saturdays - Here is his first goblet from last Saturday - already sold and living in Phoenix! Enjoy watching the incredible skill involved and visit local wineries too!

Torsos for Guangzhou Spa

It is amazing to watch the Torso form out of molten glass - Rick and Matt are an incredible team! Two will go to a Spa in Guangzhou, Dongpu, China this week.

Open on Saturdays!

We are now open on Saturdays from 11 to 4! Glass blowing demonstrations will be from 12 to 3. Our neighbors, Fawnridge and Villa Castellano Wineries are open so come make a day of it! We have a new series of decanters, bottle stoppers and holders to create the perfect present with a bottle of local wine. Fawnridge features us with their artist series labels on their 2002 Library Select Syrah and 2007 Chardonnay. Experience a beautiful drive in a wonderful foothill neighborhood this Fall! We are located in north Auburn at the corner of Bell and Cramer off of Hwy 49. Find the directions on our website http://www.nicholsonblownglass.com/

Visit http://www.placerhillswinetour.com/ to discover the local wineries.

New Crucible

I have returned from an Ohio adventure to see my family. Our team member Matt is off to Pilchuck to make goblets and it is the middle of the hot summer so...time to turn off the furnace for maintenance and change out the crucible. First time in 2 1/2 years! Rick doesn't know what to do with himself! We'll be ready to blow September 1 and look forward to a busy Fall and Winter.

Palo Alto Clay and Glass Festival

Come join us for a fun weekend at the Palo Alto Clay and Glass festival July 11 & 12 from 10am to 5pm at the Palo Alto Cultural Center. This event is special because it features only California Clay and Glass artists - no distractions! We haven't attended in a few years so this will be an interesting adventure. see www.acga.net for more information.

Landscape Show at Blueline Gallery

I'm excited about the Landscape show at Blueline Gallery. We created two new pieces incorporating photography for High Desert and acrylic for Cumulus. Roxie, the cat, helped with Cumulus! Opening reception is Saturday June 20 from 6:30 to 9. The show is up until July 15. www.rosevillearts.org

I traveled to Corning New York for an amazing and inspirational international glass conference - Glass Art Society www.glassart.org. Glass artists, students, teachers and collectors traveled from all over the world. I worked at the registration and met many of them! On the way I got stranded and spent the night on the airport floor with others from UK, Ireland and Israel. Quite an adventure! Very inspirational!

Hannah - the artist

Hannah is an incredible artist! This is a self portrait. She will be home soon by way of San Diego then off to move into her home in Santa Cruz where she will take a drawing class this summer at UCSC. Heather is off to Honduras - We have a winner for her raffle!

Heather to Honduras

Our oldest daughter, Heather, is off to Tegucigalpa, Honduras as a Spanish interpreter for the Global Medical Brigades through a UC Santa Cruz club in June to set up a health clinic. We are excited for her since she has such a passion to help people. We are having a drawing for a $300. gift certificate of Nicholson Blown Glass to help her on her way. One ticket $5. or 5 for $20. Let me know if you would like to join in! The photo is of Heather volunteering in Ensenada, Mexico - She has also volunteered in Salta, Argentina. We are very proud of her efforts!

Custom Twig Chandelier

This is a beautiful chandelier that we created for the entrance to a custom home overlooking the American River Canyon. It needs to find a new home and we are helping to get the word out. The metal work is all hand forged in our studio with a Japanese brown patina and copper patina leaf details. The freehand blown glass is a deep green in our Earthbound Series with silver and chips of color on the surface. The glass is 23"W x 7"D and the metal is 29"Wx14"D - use three standard light bulbs. The cost is $2,200 with either shipping or installation included.

Auburn Home Show ~ May 15-17

We always make at least 2 or 3 pendants to get 1 for a custom order ~ perfectionists that we are ~ so we'll be featuring extra pendants at a special price along with our custom lighting and sinks. Our friend of 30 plus years, "the artichoke man", will be there too so we'll be feasting on fresh artichokes!

Mother's Day Tour a success

Mother's Day Weekend could not have been more beautiful! We had many visitors with their mothers and friends ~ even a couple from France! It was my first Mother's Day without our girls home to help but, we survived and enjoyed the energy as Rick and Matt blew glass until they dropped. We had trading cards for each of the 10 artists and the 50 visitors that managed to collect all 10 were in a drawing for a work of art from each artist. Lots of fun! We'll do it again next year. Watch for www.northauburnartists.com

Fawnridge "Art for Your Cellar"

Fawnridge and Nicholson Blown Glass are open for Mother’s Day Weekend! Fawnridge Winery proudly presents the first Artist Series Label featuring the art of Nicholson Blown Glass. Two wines are offered: The silver medal winning 2007 Chardonnay and the Library Select 2002 Syrah. These wines may be purchased exclusively at Fawnridge Winery. This is a very limited bottling and will certainly sell out quickly! www.fawnridgewine.com We have handblown decanters and stoppers to compliment the wonderful wines. Stop by Fawnridge and our studio Mother’s Day weekend to taste wine and watch the glassblowing! May 9 and 10 ~ 10 to 5.

North Auburn Art Studios Tour

This weekend is the North Auburn Art Studios Tour - 12 artists, 8 studios - May 9 & 10, 10 to 5. www.northauburnartists.com for directions to studios.
We are always open Mother's Day weekend! I remember trying to get my little girls to fix breakfast in bed before the tour - but since I was always the first up getting ready - I gave up on that one! They are now 19 and 21! We'll be demonstrating and the neighboring wineries will also be open for tasting! should be busy and fun!

Art in the Garden

Art in the Garden was a success even in the sprinkles! A beautiful setting!

Art in the Garden

Next up Saturday May 2, 10am to 4pm ~ a fun day touring elegant homes and beautiful gardens!
This is a benefit for Roseville Arts and Blue Line Gallery www.rosevillearts.org Tickets are $35. per person and we will be at the fifth house with our outdoor fountains, birdbaths, and other surprises.

Collectors' Evening

We held a special event Collectors Evening April 23rd at the studio celebrating 30 years as Nicholson Blown Glass. 30% of sales went to our local Boys and Girls Club for art supplies.
No more Grad Night decorations so I am joining the glass world again! Rick created a freehand blown and hot sculpted Torso ~ his most difficult piece. The lighting at night was very dramatic and I was too busy to take photos! Oh well. We'll do it again. We had wonderful food, Fawnridge Wine, acoustical guitar and good comments from supportive people "We had a wonderful evening; beautiful glass, talent abounding, friendly people who also appreciate Rick's work, good food and drink. It was a perfect evening. Yes, plan another night and we'll be there."

The Body: Vessel for the Soul

Hurrah taxes are done! Time to move on into Spring. We are lucky enough to live near California State University Sacramento and our free hand blown and hot sculpted Torso, Earth, is a part of The Body: Vessel for the Soul show at the Witt Gallery. A fun reception will happen April 24 from 6 to 8. Rick has been working hard on these difficult forms.You can watch him make one on the video page of our website www.nicholsonblownglass.com .

Patris S12

Second Saturday event at Patris S12 Gallery in Sacramento will feature internationally known Italian artist Father Bruno Segatta and his apprentice, Kurt Hausmann, a Sacramento native, exhibit their artworks portraying the city of Florence and landscapes of Tuscany. The revenues from Father Bruno’s works are used for his many charitable projects helping orphaned children in Kenya. Opening reception 6 to 9. We will be participating along with 16 additional artists. There is a live model painting session also and it is really fun to watch the artists work!

M Resort

I want to share with you the creation of the oversize UPLIFTS - steel and blown glass sculpture we recently created for the M Resort in Las Vegas. We also created two wall installations that appear to float!

Welcome!

This is my first attempt to communicate by blog! I plan to keep you updated with personal and professional events here at Nicholson Blown Glass.
Hannah (our daughter) and I happened upon an incredible flower show at the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco when I picked her up from UC Santa Cruz for Spring Break. The photo reminds me of a glass chandelier.