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Writer's pictureElke Siller Macartney

Scenes from a Hot Shop

Recently, the exhaustion and stress of looking for a new home prompted me to choose an option I have turned to when everything is whirling around me: Go on a road trip. Hubby and I did so several years back after he was laid off on disability, and we did so when our house was close to foreclosure and we took off cross country to find a new home. And here we were once again, needing to find a new home and facing meager options. So we took off for a 3 day road trip.


It didn't make sense to do so whatsoever—money is an object—and we were running out of time. And honestly, as of this moment we may or may not be sailing into a new home. Yet, I am so glad we went, because inspiration found us in unusual and profound ways.

Our destination was beautiful Silver Falls State Park in Oregon, and the Trail of the Ten Waterfalls. Perhaps I’ll report on that in the future, but right now, I have to share the most profound moment of the trip:


We like to call these spontaneous adventures “Spirit trips” because we follow our guidance as to where we might turn and what we might do while on the trip. We decided it was Jim’s turn to determine where he “felt” we should turn off the highway. That he chose to say yes” to Tacoma Washington was a surprise—it is not a town I usually have a desire to visit. It turned out to be a delightful choice: we ended up at the Museum of Glass: a destination both of us had wanted to visit, but never had time to do so.


After purchasing our tickets, we went straightaway to the Hot Shop: the room where the magic happens, and glass masterpieces are made. Theater seating allowed us access to the action: There was an installation being created from a guest artist’s design. People buzzed around the shop: glass art is a community effort. The artist was nearby, sitting in front of a computer screen with her design for the next piece to be sculpted. A man took questions from the audience.


I asked what was being made, and he pointed to a cluster of objects that looked like a glass forest come undone: “Right now, a condor wing is being created as part of a that installation.” We watched as the gaffer—the main artist—adeptly took out the ball of hot glass from the fire via a long pole. He rolled the pole, he fired up the glass; he tweaked and molded and sculpted and fired it up again and again. Multiple assistants supported his efforts. We were mesmerized by the process of literally seeing a long wing unfold from a fiery ball of molten glass.


And then, just as the elaborate wing neared completion, the announcer said, “That didn't turn out the way it was supposed to.” The gaffer and his assistant walked to the fiery hole of the oven, put in the wing, and with a swift cut from an assistant, and a “tink” sound, return it to the fire.


Gone, just like that. The team took a break. No-one seemed upset about this—that was profound for me. There was a calm letting go with no obvious regrets, no drama. The creation was simply returned to the fire.


In our home creation, there have been several times when things didn't turn out the way we’d hoped. I’ve had to begin the hunt over and over again. Or….


Was I actually continuing the hunt? After witnessing the scene in a glass hot shop, I vowed to completely let go of every “no,” and move on with the next step. I vowed to trust in Spirit’s guidance to show us the way. I’ll let you know the final results of this creation—which can be any day now. We need to move out of our home by the end of the month.


see the hot shop here: https://museumofglass.org/glassmaking/about-the-hot-shop

and I'm still having special pricing for services in my current office: In order to celebrate the coming miracle of a new home and office, I'm offering a discount on energy healing and spiritual counseling sessions: usually $80/hour—now $50/hour; as well as Aura Portrait sessions for $90. First 2 weeks in April.

Looking for an Easter miracle! Email me to schedule or call 360-770-7831.

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