CUTWORK AND LACE PLATTERS AND VESSELS
Designed for maximum shadowplay and rich color patterns. All glass. No paint. This gives more intense color saturation and pattern reflection. These are very "showy" pieces with delicate details; yet they still maintain a very organic quality. I am VERY much a product of my 2 grandmothers, who were amazing, independent, creative women. My maternal grandmother and great grandmother were originally hand lace-makers in Europe. I must have it in my blood....
These "Guardian Angel" Wings are intricately constructed of 3 layers of kiln fired glass, created by hundreds of tiny handcut feathers individually set in place with a tweezers in the kiln. A very labor intensive process. This sculpture is made of clear shimmering iridescent glass with tiny bits of dichroic for added sparkle. It is then shaped with a special free-form mold to give the "flutter" to the wings. When it is hanging, the light casts rainbows through it onto the wall behind as well as bouncing them off the top of the piece. My photos don't do this justice. I created this one in honor of one of my "sisters" who left us way too soon, losing her battle with cancer. I plan to work on a series of various shapes and sizes of iridescent wing sculptures. Some vertical like this, some more horizontal in shape. Please contact me through my email if you are interested in one of these sculptures. There will be a limited number of these created. As with my other sculptures, Certificate of Authenticity included.
THE GUARDIAN - DETAIL
THE BIG BANG
This is a very thick, heavy piece with layers of strip-edge construction and filled in with coarsely smashed and crushed glass. After firing, additional glass elements were added, large chunks of glass and glass marbles, strategically bonded into the sculpture to create this beautiful, swirling, stunning image of "the Big Bang".
Again, I have drawn on my "water roots" for this piece and added a bit of my interest in mythology and literature while incorporating some additional elements to compliment the glass.Sometimes, it's nice to just do something "fun" while telling a story....
Here I have created a flowing layer of kiln fired glasses in oceanic colors that depicts the rolling waves of the sea and spirals around into a large whale tail in the front. Cradled in the center is Neptune's water cave, complete with little porthole windows and shell-like edges. Neptune's Sterling Silver Trident rises from the rolling waves, a symbol of his vigilance and power. A few strategically placed shells add "atmosphere" to his lair.
Soul Fusion Arts
THE GUARDIAN
SIGNATURE ICE GLASSTM SCULPTURES
though I live in the Sonoran Desert now, I am originally from the Great Lakes area of the Midwestern U.S. I spent much of my life near or on the water. Nature has always influenced my work, and I'm fascinated by water both in its fluid and solid forms. I recall the delicate beauty as well as the terrifying dangers of Midwestern ice storms, and the changing shapes and colors as the ice would melt and refreeze repeatedly, morphing into a surrealistic land of fantasy. I think glass is the perfect medium to portray those mystical qualities of nature. Each of these pieces takes me on a fantastic, creative "journey". The pieces are a blend of opposites...powerful, heavy elements often mixed with fiber-thin strands of glass so delicate and fine it's almost like silk. Each one is incredibly unique from every angle and with the right lighting, casts amazing shadows in a room. I hope you enjoy the journey! As with the Taffy GlassTM, these pieces also take longer to create., and by their nature are naturally less vibrant in color, with the focus being on extremes in shape and texture.
SIGNATURE TAFFY GLASSTM SCULPTURES
So named due to the creative process of reworking, stretching and "kneading" the glass, much like saltwater taffy, to create the unique colorations and shapes of these decorative, Collectible Vessels. Each is One of a kind. Duplication is impossible. This glass tends to be heavier than the other pieces. The process is long and tedious and these pieces take a long time to create. I often try to get 2 sculptures from a "batch of taffy glass "...so there may be 2 with similar colors, but the shapes will be completely different. The process completely changes in shape and coloration about halfway through. They average about 300 - 350 hours of kiln time and 150-200 hours of design time. They have a lot of depth and weight yet give the visual illusion of blown glass.
As a child, I would go to the State Fair with my grandmother, who introduced me to Salt Water Taffy. (I never told her I didn't care much for it), but I was mesmerized as a child, watching the process of it being stretched and pulled and changed from something soft and almost fluid to something so hard I could barely chew it. I also loved the rainbow of colors it came in. When I was working on this glass technique, that memory was so powerful, and definitely one that stood out as a light in a childhood that held a lot of pain and darkness.
Words cannot describe.
NEPTUNE'S LAIR
REQUIEM FOR AN ICE CAP
This multi textured sculpture is done in my Ice Glass style, with a lot of brilliant iridescence to catch the light. It was created to bring awareness to the growing concerns of climate change and the effect it has on the glaciers and polar ice caps.
"JOURNEY THROUGH THE SOUTHWEST" LANDSCAPE SERIES
GLASSCAPESTM - WATERSCAPES AND LANDSCAPE SERIES
My waterscapes sell pretty quickly and I don't have too many photos available at the moment. The simplicity of the predominantly clear glass, accented with bits of blues, or iridescents is much like the beauty of black and white photography. As in photos or cinematography....when not using color, the key is in the shadowplay. Here, the key is in the light refraction created by the layers of textures. SIMPLY Beautiful.
The Landscapes are directly influenced by my life here in Arizona. The fragile ecosystem of the desert, and it's simple, raw beauty against the majestic cliffs, and red rock formations and the colors of the skies and the painted desert. Each piece also has a water feature, since, as a "Great Lakes Girl" and an Aquarius, I am always drawn to water.
The 4th piece "Richter Scale" depicts the angry force of Mother Nature during an earthquake, and how quickly that delicate balance changes. We are reminded in an instant that nature is precious and fragile, yet powerful and strong. Glass, having the same qualities, is the ideal medium to bring this series to life. These sculptures take an extreme amount of time, patience and glass to create. Richter Scale is the largest and weighs about 25 lbs. It contains elements of natural materials from the earth added into the final design. These were featured on my episode of the "Colour In Your Life" Australian Art Series. Season 16.
OUR DAILY BREAD
These sculptural bowls are created with the look of bread baskets with linen cloths, but are made entirely of glass. These are inspired by my Faith background and my maternal grandmother who baked the most FABULOUS breads and was a woman of tremendous faith. Our Daily Bread can symbolize different things to each of us.....whatever sustains us...whatever we need to make us whole. Creating art in glass is one of those things for me...so a glass Bread Basket seemed appropriate.
ADDITIONAL SCULPTURE WORK