I am a woman who thrives on the creativity of others. The use of imagination in art, and in life, inspires me to express my own creativity.
METAL - any of a class of elementary substances, as gold, silver, or copper, all of which are crystalline when solid and many of which are characterized by opacity, ductility, conductivity, and a unique luster when freshly fractured.
GLASS – an amorphous (non-crystalline) solid matter, typically brittle and often optically transparent.
First I fell in love with metal, then glass. By definition, they are complete opposites: crystalline and non-crystalline, conductive and non-conductive, opaque and transparent, ductile and brittle. Yet, each is a material that I work with happily.
My journey began with beads and all of the things that can be done with them, however I learned over time beads weren’t for me.
In a search for something more satisfying, I took a class for Chain Maille and was hooked. My beads are aging and soon will be considered vintage. Now, I weave over 25 patterns of Chain Maille and that number continues to climb. Once a bracelet pattern catches my eye, I feel the need to see it on a wrist. This is what spawned my love for metal.
The fact that I can etch, torch, and form metal -- take a piece of wire and make it into a ring, or a sheet of metal and make it into a brooch amazes me. The possibilities are endless, and I love to experiment.
Soon began my love affair with fine silver -- the purest form of silver. First, I found fine silver wire that I can torch without the clean-up that sterling requires. Subsequently I found PMC (Precious Metal Clay), another form of fine silver that I can form and then fire in the kiln and the piece is pure silver .999 compared to sterling which is .925. I add a little patina to bring out the details of the piece and it pops.
Eventually I began to work with, and also share a strong appreciation for glass. It amazes me that I am able to take something that is so fragile and cut, design, and fuse it into pieces that are so smooth, colorful and useful. I use glass to create jewelry, art, and everyday pieces.
It’s an adventure every time I open the kiln. I was always intrigued with the beauty of stained glass and the uniqueness of a mosaic. So, with the scrap glass from fusing I decided to learn those techniques and enjoy them as well.
I take classes to continue my education, as well as to meet and be around other artists. When something peaks my interest, I find it necessary to learn how to make it. I expand my horizons taking classes, reading, finding a mentor, or figuring it out how something works on my own. Sometimes my creations turn out to be something much different than what I was aspiring for. I have to admit; those accidents oftentimes have the most incredible results.
As is my art, I am a work in progress. I look forward to sharing my work, as well as my journey, with you. |
