I've "dabbled" my whole life in creative things, sometimes for work and sometimes in my free time: flower arranging, creating marketing materials, painting, furniture refinishing, mosaics, pottery, glass and too many others to list. I say this and post a variety pictures, so that you know even though fused glass only came into my life within the last decade, I've spent a lifetime creating.
A 1916 Hand Carved Wooden Carousel Horse
Circa 1916 inner row jumper wooden carousel horse from Long Beach, CA Hippodrome or possibly the Santa Monica Pier Carousel at one point in time.
Was the work of Charles I.D. Looff
Stripped, repaired & painted
Before: shades of brown with orange & yellow accessory accents
After: white/gray/black with blue/green accents
If you look closely, you'll see I added glass medallions to his harness and chestpiece
Three Dimensional Art Quilt
Inspiration: It started with giving up one time consuming hobby (100 gallon saltwater fish/coral aquarium) for another time consuming project . . . here's how it happened.
Problem: large wall with 10' ceilings that needed to have something "substantial" to fill it.
Have a sister-in-law that quilts so I had looked at art quilts in the past.
Had a sewing machine but no large kiln.
Already had the large black w/ multi dot fabric that reminded me of a black night with stars.
Had it in my head that it had to be 3D
Results six months later.
Pottery
Inspiration: It started with seeing a old mid century modern lamp that a neighbor purchased . . .
Loved the lamp but not the colors.
Had signed up for a local pottery class which ran for 6 weeks and included basics of handbuilding and throwing.
Really would have liked to duplicate the shade but in addition to "building" the lamp I had to "build" the shade and couldn't figure out a good way to make the 3D lines on it (maybe string in a paste with a coat of modge podge or resin - later).
In the 6 weeks I was able to make a lamp, a bird feeder, a candle holder & a bowl which was used as a top to a windchime that held a collection of my mother's thimbles.
Mosaics
Inspiration: When my mother passed away she left a collection of stained glass & supplies. I'd dabbled in stained glass but preferred mosaics. Combine that with the need for "garden art" and there was my next project.
Planned design, poured concrete base, painted
Cut glass, mosaiced the base, grouted, found "bowl", assembled