About Our Art
During the last quarter of a century or so, I have made a career of serving first as the Office Manager, and now Energy Analyst for a state association. The work requires logic, an analytical mind, a head for detail and the constant crunching of numbers. Although the work is certainly rewarding, there is little outlet for creativeness, as creativity is highly frowned upon in the world of bookkeeping and such.
An affirmed non-artist, I “found” glass at the age of 50. It was like receiving a surprise gift for some forgotten occasion. I hadn’t planned on becoming a glass artist. I took a bead making course on a whim. Then I took a fusing class, and was hooked. In my home studio in Columbia, Missouri, I now create both lampworked (hot) and fused (warm) glass art, calling myself “Snow Flake Glass” …Get it?…No Two Are Alike! My studio consists of a room full of glass in four different varieties and a multitude of formats. Each must be kept separate because they don’t play well together. Melt them together in a project and your new work of art will surely end up breaking into pieces – sometimes dramatically. Each of my fused glass plates is created individually. Most sport dichroic color and/or irridized glass.
Many of my designs are of a geometric nature, possibly reflecting my experience with patchwork quilting – or maybe it is just an extension of my analytical mind. My “fishies” kiln-fused underwater scenes are lovingly made piece by piece including lampworked details representing sea plants and other creatures (and yes, I actually do use a tweezers to place pieces of frit sometimes).
I am a two-term past-president of Best of Missouri Hands, a very rewarding and gratifying experience. Also, I have been honored by the art community by being asked to create the 2012 Missouri Arts Council Awards. The five “Universe Plates” were bestowed upon some very worthy people and agencies that have invested themselves in promoting and supporting Missouri’s arts and artisans.
Short Description:
Fused Glass Artist specializing in Dichroic Glass
Awards and Honors
Membership:
- Columbia Art League (member since 2007)
- Best of Missouri Hands Juried Artist (member since 2007)
- Best of Missouri Hands Board of Directors 2010 – 2011
- President, Best of Missouri Hands 2010, 2011
- Greater St. Louis Art Association (GSLAA) (member since 2012)
Awards:
- Coatings by Sandberg “Dichroic by Design” International Contest – Honorable Mention for Fused Glass Piece “Jazz Seasons” (2011)
Special Commissions:
- Chosen by Missouri Arts Council to create the MAC 2012 Awards which were presented on February 8, 2012 at the Missouri State Capitol.
- Commissioned to provide fused glass gift ware to City of Columbia, Missouri for visiting dignitaries. 2012
- Commissioned to provide a custom “Jazz” to be given as gift from Mayor of Columbia to sister city Mayor in South Korea. 2013
Galleries:
- Missouri Artists on Main, 321 S. Main St., St. Charles MO
- Artisans in the Loop, 6511 Delmar, University City MO
- Columbia Art League, 11 S. 9th, Columbia MO
- Bluestem Missouri, 13 S. 9th, Columbia MO
- Missouri Life Mercantile, 208 Columbia St, Rocheport, Missouri
- Artisans Collective Stl, on line store
- Images Gallery, 7320 W 80th St., Overland Park KS
Juried Shows:
- Columbia Art League “Art in the Park” (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011)
- Arrow Rock Heritage Craft Festival (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
- The Art Fair at Queeny Park, St. Louis MO (Fall 2011, Spring & Fall 2012, Spring & Fall 2013, Spring & Fall 2014, Spring & Fall 2015, Fall 2016, Spring & Fall 2017, Spring & Fall 2018)
- Best of Missouri Market, Botanical Gardens, St. Louis MO (Fall 2013, Fall 2014, Fall 2018)
- Fall into Art (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) – a showing of local and regional artists in Columbia
Other Art Shows:
- Affair of the Arts (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009) – a showing of local artists in Columbia
- Big Red Box (2010, 2011, 2012) – Best of Missouri Hands Juried Member show in St. Charles, MO
Juried Exhibits:
- Celebrating Creativity (2010, 2011) William Woods University, Fulton MO – Juried exhibit of Best of Missouri Hands artists.
- Made in Missouri Exhibit (2011 and 2012), Silver Dollar City, Branson MO, BOMH Juried Exhibit
- State of Missouri Governor’s Mansion Best of Missouri Hands Exhibit – Glass Artist Exhibit, August 2010 – May 2012
- “Fresh Art” BOMH Show at Fresh Gallery, Springfield MO (March, 2013)
- ” ‘Out of Town’ – Open USA: 44 American Glass Artists” an on-line exhibit of the Contemporary Glass Society, June 2014
- “With These Missouri Hands”, BOMH Juried Artist Show, Lillian Yahn Gallery, O’Fallon MO, August-September, 2015
Publications:
- Tutorial on Creating Fused Glass Pendants, February 2015 Premier issue of e-zine Artisan Jewelry Times.
- Article on Bead Retreats, April 2015 issue of e-zine Artisan Jewelry Times.
- Tutorial on Creating Fused Glass “Fishies”, Winter 2015 issue of e-zine Fused Glass Projects Magazine
Contributor to art book Art Glass Today 2, published by Schiffer Publishing Ltd., expected release June, 2016.
Training/Workshops/Conferences:
- Best of Missouri Hands Annual Meeting/Conference/Professional Development (2007 – 2018, 2023 – 2024)
- Brad Pearson two day intermediate lampwork course (2007)
- Karen Leonardo three day lampwork course (2009)
- Missouri Bead Retreat (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2023, 2024)
- Midwest Glass Experience four day workshop, 3rd Degree, St. Louis, (2009, 2010)
- Mark Salsbury Glass Casting two day workshop (2008)
- Bruce Baker two day workshop “Thrive! Don’t Just Survive” (2012)
- Nathan Sandberg three day workshop “Virtrograph Cane and Murrini” (2015)
- Tanya Viet Webinar “The Pebble Experience” (2016)
- Dennis Brady “Vitrograph Cane” (2016)
Other:
- Delphi Glass chose my work to be highlighted in their annual catalogue with an “Artist Spotlight” (2009-2010, 2011-2012, and 2015-2016 catalogues)
- Ed Hoy, the largest wholesale glass distributor in the US, chose my “Jazz Seasons” art to be used in their glass and supplies catalogue. 2013
