Today's blog comes from Candace Weir, Central Library staff:

One of the nicest ways to enjoy a cup of coffee is to spend it with a good magazine. You find the some of the best resting on the shelves of the Arts and Recreation department at Central.

American Craft is one of them, full of eye-candy inspiration. Despite its name, the magazine showcases talented people, from all over the globe, making very beautiful things.

The August/September 2011 issue (pages 108 – 111) features artisans from Adelaide, Australia. The JamFactory, profiled here, is one of 14 independent, state-supported craft and design centers.

Visiting “The Jam” is one of my dreams. I would love to see the wonderful and often off-beat explorations that characterize the Australian craft scene.

Nick Mount, mentioned in the article, is a pioneer in the Australian glass movement. His work is a mixture of elegance and visually quirky elements.

Included in this issue, as well, is a 70-year timeline of American craft making. Many of the objects in this visual time machine have become pop-culture icons. You can visit the American Craft Council website to continue exploring objects and images online.

Alberta Craft is a great way to find out about the talented artist/artisans producing their work in our local community. This quarterly publication of the Alberta Craft Council lists upcoming exhibitions and features artists, like Medicine Hat clay artist, Jim Etzkorn. I think that life is too short not to drink your coffee or tea out of something handmade.

Arts magazines can lead to so many interesting places.

-Candace

Today's blog comes from Candace Weir, Central Library staff:

Other than balsamic vinegar and a bottle of wine, the only things that I brought back from my trip to Italy, were a bracelet and a bead. Both featured Venetian glass beads. They were glass and glittered and Italian – so perfect souvenirs for a glassblower.

If you share my fascination with these tiny treasures, you will enjoy a new book, Venetian Glass Beads, by author Kathy Fox. She takes the reader to Venice and Murano for a brief history of the beads produced there. There are also 24 jewelry projects to make, should you wish. Sprinkled throughout the book are photographs from Venice, just another enticement to turn the pages.

Lark Books publish great sources for crafters, both how to and inspirational. Creating Glass Beads by Jeri Warhartig is a great how to for glass blowers, while Glass Beads: Major Works by Leading Artists is full of inspiration from the work of master craftspeople. For inspiration closer to home, check out Calgary glass artist, Martha Henry’s pendant gallery.

One of our older books, a Schiffer book for collectors, is Glass Beads from Europe by Sibylle Jargstorf. It is full of unique information about bead history. I would love to get my paws on a Bohemian bead or others from the 1930s.

The book also shows a glass head bead by Cristiano Balbi from Venice, made in 1993, next to an ancient one, probably from Carthage (p 13).

Online, you can see master Balbi at work in this Youtube video.

Exciting stuff for glassblowers.

-Candace