The creative process in art happens long before I set pencil to paper to sketch out the artwork. It’s what happens in my complicated brain beforehand that’s most important.
It always begins by gathering thoughts, ideas, and influences, and giving them a story, a meaning. Just as importantly it’s about being willing to be vulnerable in putting them out to the world and boldly being myself.
Being creative is something that satisfies my spirit and helps me dive into the deepest corners of my imagination.
“HIDDEN DEPTHS” glass art mural is about looking more deeply into something because what you see on the surface is only ever part of the story, and rarely the most intriguing part.
Tapping into your creativity
You don’t have to be an ‘artist’ to tap into your creativity. You can use whatever creative outlet that works for you as a way to express emotions, feelings or experiences. I began my journey as a glass artist as a means of coping with the grief that I experienced after the loss of my dear sister Callie in 2002.
The glass art mural I created in her honor now lives in the Children’s Medical Center in Dallas to commemorate her battle with cancer that she fought with grace and humor.
Creating this piece for my sister provided a much-need creative outlet for me at the time and really helped me celebrate my sister’s life and the legacy she left.
Why glass?
Why the medium of glass, I hear you ask? Well, for me it’s all about the transformation; shattering fragments of glass into extraordinary works of art. While other art forms might start with a blank canvas, glass art is about creating art from broken pieces that already exist, but making it more beautiful than they ever could have been before it was broken.
Beauty out of brokenness.
The medium of glass is so fragile and unpredictable. I love the colors and patterns, and most importantly the reflections.
I look carefully at the light that’s being transmitted through my artwork. My work is designed so that people can look ‘through’ it, in addition to ‘at it,’ because what one person sees is different from another. That’s the beauty of glass art in particular. Everyone’s reflection is different because it’s who is standing in front of it that matters the most.
It’s hard to imagine a time when glass wasn’t part of my everyday life. I’m constantly creating in my head, drawing upon the people, places, and experiences around me for inspiration.
For me, that’s the most important part of the creative journey– the process.
>> LEARN MORE ABOUT THE GLASS ART PROCESS HERE >>