Texture Texture and MORE TEXTURE!

Ok Guys - here’s what I’m up to:

I LOVE TEXTURE so I’ve been playing around with how versatile clay can be to create these amazing touchable pieces. I have been playing with bark to create realistic-looking art forms.

Check out the video here: (and if you’re not following me on Instagram - why not? Do it!)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQud0QbJ71B/

The piece that I’ve created from the textured work will hold a piece of fused glass at a 45 degree angle. I want to create a look of tension while also playing with the look of hard and soft - even though both mediums are hard. I want to create that illusion and little bit of angst that the piece could topple over yet it will be sturdy!

Stay tuned!

Also - here’s a bunch of stuff that I threw and will be rakuing on Friday.

ENJOY!

All the Exhibits - Sculpture, Paintings, Photography

I had the pleasure of attending the Dallas Contemporary and then the Photographs Do Not Bend Gallery and enjoyed seeing these unique works of art. The contemporary space invited artists that were funky in their own right. Works on cardboard, oversized animals, and faceless paintings.

The photography gallery had wonderful photos from the 1940s and 50s. “An American Girl in Italy” featured a particularly funny and stereotypical scene of a female walking the streets of Italy with about a dozen italian men hooting and hollaring.

My Visit to the Cincinnati Art Museum

Every time I visit home, I make sure to carve out some time to go to the Cincinnati Art Museum. While I was there, I visited a few exhibits but enjoyed the “Future Retrieval: Close Parallel” exhibit with ceramic, porcelain and paper, among other materials.

Pictures are worth 1,000 words, so here they are:

Summer Summer Time!

Summer is here and I’m back to the grind in the studio at Commerce.

I raku’d today for the first time in a long time and It’s definitely want I want to be doing. I’m looking to explore new ways to use the technique for an elevated art form.

Here’s what I fired today. These have all been bisque fired, glazed and then raku fired.

Pots Pots and more Pots

The semester is almost over and I finished trimming the bottoms of all these pots. I didn’t realize how much I’ve made over the past couple of weeks but I was pleasantly surprised. Looking forward to seeing all my finished work when we present next week for critique.

Super Sweet Slabs!

I’m pretty pleased with the way these slab pieces turned out when I raku’d them! I’ve been playing with textures and form and am happy with the results!

What do you think!

Raku All Day!!!

I’ve been adding glass to my raku glazes to continue to experiment. These photos include glass powder that was added to the bottom of the bowls as well as glass mixed in with the clear crackle.

The pieces are fired in a gas kiln up to 1828* F.

The Smell of Barbecue Makes Me Think of RAKU!

This semester has been great to hone my raku skills. I’ve been experimenting and growing all semester and have made some seriously cool things.

All the Artsy Things...

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind!

We went through a Texas snowstorm and controlled power outages, which meant no kiln firing for a whole week. When you’re finishing up a massive commission, a week really messes things up.

Despite the craziness, some really awesome work has been made!

The VENUS FLY TRAP is complete!! and Looks amazing, if I do say so myself. I collaborated with a fellow artist who did the metal work while I did the fused glass.

That sucker is over 6 feet tall!

In addition to creating work in glass, I’ve been potting away - building and throwing ceramic pots, vases, and even a 3D arrow. I’ve found myself spending nights in the studio on campus creating all sorts of fun work.

Work Work Work and then Work Some More - Musings from Grad School

It’s been a busy couple of weeks at Lubiani Studios. Taking full time grad classes, creating commission pieces, and making art is making these weeks fly by! (Pun Intended)

I’m finishing up my venus fly trap commission and it’s dreamy, if I do say so myself.

I’m making lop-sided pots in ceramics class, just got a studio on campus, and have been experiencing art in so many different ways.

Last night, we had a visit with ceramic artist Melissa Weiss in our studio arts class. It was a joy to learn about her process and pick her brain about making a living as an artist. She was very awesome to share her time with us when we know how much time she devotes to her craft.

Check out her work here: https://www.melissaweisspottery.com/

The past two weeks, I’ve also been meeting with the graduate faculty to do studio tours. It’s been fun to think about art and where I want to go as a glass artist that’s flirting with ceramics. I hope to combine the forms to create unique works of art to be experienced.

In just a few weeks, I will have my work featured at the Texan Theater. I will share some of my work as I get closer to “Show Time.”

In the meantime, here’s a picture of my lopsided pot for your enjoyment

And here’s my self portrait for my seminar class - Pandemic Madness was the prompt.

A study in glass and ceramics

Fused Glass Test Tiles for color saturation

This week continues to be busy with test tiles, and final decisions for a larger-than-life Venus Fly Trap sculpture that I’m creating with a fellow artist. The pods or the flower of the plant will be my contribution with fused glass.

I will be creating a specific mold to create the unique shape and cast glass in various shades of green to achieve the overall look with depth and color.

It’s been a fun change of pace for me and has gotten me thinking about other projects.

I’m continuing to learn ceramics at Texas A&M University - Commerce and created and fired my first crudely made pinch pot. We got to raku fire the piece which is a unique way of firing ceramics that ultimately ends with tossing your pot in a trash can full of combustible material.

It was a blast to make and I’m continue to be drawn to the medium. There are many similarities to fused glass but there are even more options to what you can do at different firing temperatures. I’m considering adding a pottery kiln to the 7 glass kilns I already own.

I have to get to re-organizing my garage here to make it happen!!

Happy Trails to you all!

Monica

Samples and Subscription Boxes, Podcast and More

Saturdays usually start my week and this was like all the others. I recently started a subscription box service for Lubiani Studios and the first batch of boxes went out to subscribers this past weekend….. which naturally meant I had to buy a new printer.

After the fiasco of setting up a printer - (Did I mention I feel like I’m a 100 years old with technology anymore?) I was off and running. Why was I wasting so much time at the Post Office before? Anyways, those went out and were well received. Fused Glass Conversation Heart Dishes were a hit.

Once those were out of the kiln and on their way, I could get started on sample glass pieces for a Venus fly trap commission I’m working on for a gentleman in Dallas. A put 1 1/2 kiln loads of samples together and took about half with me to the consultation on Wednesday. We are still playing around with colors but I know we’re going to end up with something amazing.

My dear friend and fellow artist, Maegan Kirschner of the Artist’s Circle Gallery did a a podcast session with me on Sunday and we had a ball. If you’d like to hear more about me talking glass, check it out here: https://anchor.fm/maegan-kirschner/episodes/Artists-Circle-Session-with-Monica-Lubiani-and-Maegan-Kirschner-ep51e1?fbclid=IwAR05svol2pdK1bp05DvRko_Hg5knJOz16BdZUVTJ0gjxRPMYDrBxdxQrJOA

So there’s still a few days left in this week and it’s back to the drawing board and making a few more samples to settle on a final design. I’ll share some samples later of the process. Stay tuned. :)

Monica <3

2021 - It's gotta suck less, right?

**Disclaimer: Former journalist here who will type in out of AP style or with no grammar or style at all. **

Wow - 2020 - that sucked…. but did it? It was a hell of a year and a hell of ride but as I was preparing for this new year, I realized that I accomplished a lot of stuff.

Being forced to keep ourselves isolated and away from craziness of a world in pandemic meant a somehow messier house, but more forced creativity. Creativity to combat insanity, perhaps; but creativity nonetheless.

As the year wound it’s way to an end, I psychotically decorated my house like i was Buddy the Elf in a New York City Apartment and applied to grad school. In the process of applying to school, updating my CV, and creating my portfolio, I was faced with how much I actually accomplished this year. Some of my favorite fused glass art that I’ve created in 5 years, happened in 2020.

That’s pretty cool, huh?

I’m excited for this new year! I’m starting grad school at Texas A&M Commerce. I’m continuing to grow my business and find creative ways to make money in a pandemic. I’m most looking forward to taking classes at TAMUC because it will spark my creativity in ways that I can’t get by watching hours and hours of Netflix.

(Sidebar: When I create in the studio, I usually have “I Love Lucy,” playing on Hulu. It makes me happy!)

I hope you’ll join me as I share more of my process this year.

Check out the facebook page: www.facebook.com/lubianistudios

Follow me on instagram: @lubianistudios

Happy New Year!

Monica @}-’-,—

^ Old school rose for all my “grew-up-on-aol friends”

New Year - New Lubiani Studios

Third time’s a charm!

I’ve found that most of my sales are in person or via social media and with it constantly changing I was having a hard time keeping the sales section up to date. As a result, I’m changing the format of my website to really showcase the range of my fused glass work.

I’m always taking custom orders and would love to create something unique for you. I also have jewelry, platters and so many more items that are ready to go and ship; perfect for gifts or as a way to “treat yo self!”

To see all that’s available for purchase, pop over to my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/lubianistudios.

Thank you to all my wonderful supporters who help me to make my passion a reality!

~Monica