Art History
I am one of those people who was always drawing or making things from whatever scraps were found. Never one for idle hands, I have explored the virtual litany of every medium of arts and crafts. College art led me to independent studies of drawing, painting, clay and fiber. A fascination with illuminated manuscripts led to further studies in these areas of calligraphy and decoration. Each area of study produced its own artistic projects which have filled homes and studios.
More recently I have worked with PMC silver clay some of which has incorporated glass pieces. These glass pieces intrigued me and as soon as I discovered the process I was hooked. This has led to my current passion which is Dichroic glass.
The glass is so beautiful in it’s complexity of colors and designs that it is a joy to work with this medium. The variety of colors and textures allow for an almost endless combination creating one of a kind pieces. The glass is cut and the design created, Various fusing methods are used to achieve the desired effects. The pieces are then wrapped with gold, silver, copper or colored wire and each piece has its own individual wrap. When I begin a wrap I truly do not know what the outcome will be as the piece guides the wire. My creations are not for the timid. I love strong colors and my creation are flamboyant and intended to be a statement for the wearer. Many of my clients begin with smaller pieces which attract many compliments and much delightful attention. They soon shed their inhibitions and become more daring with larger and larger pieces. They also discover the incredible colors inherent in the Dichroic glass making them versatile and able to be worn with a surprising range of colors.
The inspiration for my work comes from my love of vibrant colors. Florida is perfect with its lush vegetation, color and wildlife and especially the waters. My garden is full of plants and flowers and this generates a closeness to nature and constant appreciation for life in all its variety and forms. Being enclosed by this lushness engenders peace and creativity which I express primarily through my art pieces
I begin my creative process with the selection of a color. Depending on my mood and inspiration I select a variety of patterns and mixes of texture and create compositions that are unique and eye-catching. Although I begin with a notion of the completed piece I usually find that the glass has a mind of its own and unexpected combinations of colors and patterns work better than the preconceived ones. I don’t fight the glass and trust that the piece will create itself with the help of my constructive skills. I am often surprised at the completed piece. However, along the way I have had new ideas and inspiration and each piece gives me further options to follow.
The glass is fired using two main methods. The first is the full fused method which melts the glass to a uniform thickness and smoothness. The second is the tack fused method which melts the glass to the point where the pieces fuse together but maintain their shape and texture to a much greater degree. Several firings may be used on pieces to create the finished effects.
The last part in completing a piece is the wire wrapping. Each piece inspires its own individual wrap. I have an idea of the kind of wrap I want to do but the shape and nature of the piece dictates the final form. Much of the wrapping is a matter of creatively solving a vision with the nature of wire.
The different fusing processes compliment the design and the Dichroic fused glass becomes a shimmering and vibrant wearable art piece.
The stunning jewelry makes a bold statement on the individuality of the wearer.
Unique creations of wearable art.
Brilliant complexity of colors.
Ever changing selection of art glass.
