Found
We live on a relatively quite street, that I would describe more as a frontage road because it used to be a US highway until the DOT built a bypass. So there is a mix of housing and businesses, and quite a few folks unfortunately toss out their trash along the way. One nice early […]
A Walk in Pisgah
My boot has emerged from the kiln with one day to spare. This is my 55th shoe casting. Since it was both a personal piece and for the upcoming exhibit in Waynesville, NC, I decided to do things a bit differently. Why not? What could go wrong? My first mistake – Telling everyone what I […]
Having Fun, Kickin’ Back & Relaxed, How do shoes get on the road?
Simona dropped off a couple pairs of her shoes at the start of the project. This is a pair of fun colored Rocket Dog sneakers. She commented that she was beyond the days of wearing fun shoes like this. They had this cool torn texture on the uppers, and of course the Rocket Dog logo […]
The Practice
While waiting for shoes and stories, I would grab an old shoe and work with it in a different manner. This is the same shoe I used for Graduation Day. What would it look like if I turned down the tongue and loosened the shoestrings? What if I chose a different color combination? These explorations […]
Woman’s Work
I picked up a pair of hot pink stilettos at the thrift shop because I knew Krista and Elaine would be sending heels for the project, and I needed to figure out how to make heels. When I put them in my cart, there was an older woman there giving me a very strange look. […]
Flip Floppin’
Oddly, no one has sponsored a flip-flop. I picked this one up at the thrift store. It reminds me of all the abandoned flip-flops that are found on beaches everywhere. This shoe can be seen in person, or purchased through Habatat Gallery in Detroit, Michigan.
Growing Up / Sparkle
With Baltimore 2019 finished, I decided to experiment with glass colors. Glass can have what is called a reaction when colors made from different materials fuse, creating interesting and often crisp line work. SPARKLE: My friend Shoshana informed me she was sending her beloved Ruby Red Slippers. Before tackling that kind of bling, I thought […]
Jeff’s Shoe
Jeff and his wife Yaffa are glass artists here in Western North Carolina. His shoes are well worn and full of glass studio dirt. They were black but I thought I’d try clear in hopes of getting a translucent shoe that better represents their history. I created the other shoe later, using recycled colored glass […]
Dog Ate My Slipper & Laundered
When I first started the project, I went to thrift shops to find a variety of styles so that I could have time to experiment and increase my knowledge and skills. If I knew a specific type of shoe was coming my way through a sponsor, I would look for similar styles to practice with. […]
Trashed Mock-asin & When I am an Old Lady
My friend Gary, who is very talented glass artist, found a pair of inexpensive moccasin like loafers sitting at the county recycling center. Knowing about my shoe project, he brought them over to me and with a very large grin, and a bit of a chuckle said, “I can’t wait to see what you do […]