My interest in glass was inspired by a combination of events. I wanted to explore a new medium that I felt was compatible with stone in terms of antiquity using a process that has not really changed over time. I was exposed to the top glass artists at the peak of the movement in the Pacific Northwest. Intrigued by the antiquity and alchemy of glass art, I studied at Pratt Fine Art Center in Seattle to develop expertise in fused, slumped and cast glass as an additional medium for sculptural expression. The mystery of glass is that it defies chemical classifications in that it is not a true liquid or a true solid. The difference is in the handling of the material and working in glass is much more left brained, demanding precision in each phase of creation. It is the opposite of stone carving in that sense. I compare it to cooking versus baking, both processes yielding something delicious. Each piece is uniquely created by a combination of techniques including cutting, layering and kiln firing hand rolled glass sheets of colored glass.
The freedom of expression articulated through the
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Glass sculptures created with Northwest glass artist Louise Colson
Grass is a vibrant, sensual life form symbolic of survival and emotional well-being. The feel of grass under bare feet, the smell of freshly cut grass, the visual beauty of endless fields, and listening to grass rustle in the breeze are universal experiences. Through exaggeration of scale, these glass sculptures objectify a blade of grass at the cellular level while mirroring the undulating, feminine hills of The Palouse in a vertical composition. The joyful expression of these natural forms, the magic of the mundane, is visually delightful and intended to inspire a deeper appreciation for the natural world.
Grass is a vibrant, sensual life form symbolic of survival and emotional well-being. The feel of grass under bare feet, the smell of freshly cut grass, the visual beauty of endless fields, and listening to grass rustle in the breeze are universal experiences. Through exaggeration of scale, these glass sculptures objectify a blade of grass at the cellular level while mirroring the undulating, feminine hills of The Palouse in a vertical composition. The joyful expression of these natural forms, the magic of the mundane, is visually delightful and intended to inspire a deeper appreciation for the natural world.