The past couple of days have been very exciting.  I am beginning to become more familiar with how the studio is layed out and where all of the equipment we use belongs.  Yesterday we began the day by driving to Colombia Art and grabbing another ten foot piece of foam core.  When we got back to the studio we built another template of the glass counter we were beginning, an exact replica of the one we had made at his client's house.  We made this to give to the cabinet makers to make sure we all were using the same numbers and measurements.  We do not want to make any mistakes.  We will deliver this template to the cabinet makers on Monday.  We then pulled out the kiln so we could begin to lay out the best way to continue on with the project.  We layed down one of the templates onto the kiln paper on top of the bottom sand layer of the kiln.  After lunch we began to cut the glass from Uroboros glass.  The glass arrives in several different colors and textures.  They look like 2' x 2' squares or 2' x 3' rectangles of glass.  The original sheets are only about a centimeter thick. 

They look very similar to this, although not all are clear.

When we began to cut I realized how much artistic ability was necessary to do this.  Walter told me exactly how to cut each color of glass.  Whether they should be big squares, small strips, small squares or long strips.  He told me never to use a ruler because then the piece does not look as organic.  He likes when the cut pieces do not look perfect.

Glass cutters look like this.  You must hold them vertically above the glass and then drag the blade across the surface of the glass.  Once you have reached the end of the glass you have to break the glass along the line you just created. 

Here is a video of someone cutting glass:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1N2xdUlKlA&feature=related

We ended the day having cut all of the glass that we recieved.  I had never seen my hands more torn up.  It was fun but rough.

Today I arrived and was told to clean the room where the polishing happens after the glass has been put in the kiln.  After picking up the trash, moving tools to the shed, and washing the windows, Walter and I left to meet someone to talk about a project that Walter may be working on.  He is a finalist in a competition judging ideas for benches, and today we talked to a man he would be buying materials from.  Unlike his other pieces, this would not require any glass.  It is simply a wood bench.  I do not know the design, but today we saw some possible wood that may be used.  We will know more later about this. 

It has been a good first week!  I look foreword to continuing on monday.