Whenever an artist invites me to visit their studio, I always accept!  I find it interesting to see how they work and what goes on behind closed doors.  At an art show in Highland Park, NJ in December, I struck up a conversation with an artist named Ellen Rebarber who has worked in a variety of media-- clay, wool, plaster, stone, wood, glass and metal.   Sculptors and glass artists  are few and far between so to find another woman who does both felt like winning the lottery.  After visiting her studio and talking with her, I feel even luckier.  The photo above is of a large copper sculpture she created who stands prominently in her living room (check out her website  for many more images).  We talked for a few hours-- much of it about kilns, glass suppliers,  tools, etc. but we also talked a lot about inspirations,  good teachers and learning to conceptualize art as a sculptor.  I was so inspired after leaving her studio, I registered for a copper sculpture class that I had been thinking about and began sketching some ideas for a new piece featuring copper and glass.  What a pleasure to have gotten to know her and her work better!