Here is a little something on how glass became a part of my life. My journey began when my dog, Akita, and I were living in my van outside of Eugene at a place called Cougar Hot Springs. At the time, I was fire-dancing and carving stone necklaces, effigies, etc using all natural substances. No glues, epoxies, etc. Times were getting a little tough making ends meat, and winter was on it's way. I decided to write my first prayer to Spirit. In this prayer I gave thanks for all my experiences good and bad, because I recognized that they made who I am. My one request was to help guide me to where I could do the most good. After I finished the letter I threw it into the campfire and went to sleep. The next day, I went into town with the last bit of gas money I had hoping that something would manifest. Oddly enough it did. The very first person I ran into was an old friend that just settled into town and just started blowing glass. He asked if I needed a place to park my van for a few weeks and I said yes. His place was a little run down, so I helped. I'm handy with a wrench, so I helped him build his glass shop. His sister was pregnant at the time and planning on having a home birth, but the bathroom didn't even have a floor. You seriously had to walk on beams to get from the door to the tub. Wouldn't you figure, the second I finished putting the floor in, she went into labor. After a few weeks of them watching me carve stone necklaces and beads, they started to feel sorry for me. Keep in mind that I would spend 10-12 hours on a piece using precious stones and semi-precious building materials. I'd be lucky if I could fetch $50 in the market I was in. My friend gave me a chance to work on the torch one night. I guess I was something of a natural. My first day I made enough money to buy my own torch and oxygen cylinder which was about $250 at the time. I have been steadily investing into tooling for twelve years now, and I'm finally at the point where I can make my visions come true.
Along the road, I in return have helped inspire several hundred people, male and female, in developing their glass skills. I have taught a few workshops along the way, but mostly I just give knowledge to those that Spirit sends me. I am very passionate about what I do. It can be quite infectious, and I don't mind sharing. Over the years, I have learned to incorporate some of my stone carving abilities into glass. This has helped me in producing glass art that is a little more unique than what is normally out there. I do most of my sculpting in the flame with graphite knives and paddles. A lot of the shapes I choose are my way of honoring Mother Earth and how she relates with me. I have a lot of ideas that I am looking forward to making a reality. Basically the concept is to utilize the optical quality of glass as a platform for projection onto the wall/background. Meaning I can play and manipulate shadows and glare from light to project an alternate image onto the background. This way I can make a small sculpture averaging 2-3 feet tall to project a 6-8 ft. image onto the wall behind it, adding for a multi-layer experience. Imagine the collectors enthusiasm when they ask "What do you see?" Most peoples eye will be attracted to the center piece. And some will be attracted to the projection. This makes for an interesting play of minds. And this is just the beginning of these concepts. They stretch well beyond what can actually fit in someone's home, and require a courtyard setting. These concepts incorporate moving projections using solar and lunar movement as projection points. A lot like the ancient equinox paintings/ keyholes around the world. Just taking it to a new level. In these sculptures many different things can be encompassed. I would like to include Equinoxes, Solstices, and Zodiac and Planetary movement into their functions. With technology how it is today, I can virtually chart sun and lunar pathways to build a sculpture for location. Special possibilities can make things happen on special days, like birthdays, reunions, constellations, etc. This is just a little taste of where my direction is going. It is a building process though. I have a platform planned, it's just going to take several years to execute. A lot of these ideas are going to require sub-contracting from several artists of different mediums. But, first things first, I will be creating a small collection encompassing these light refracting/shadowing techniques.
I do have a lot of other interests as well. One of them is a project called the Festival of Colors. It is a black-light theatre. We perform at the local Mayday Festival and Summit Summer Festival yearly and at other various venues as well. We are working on building a website that you would be welcomed to take a look at when it's up. It is quite thought provoking.
I'm also a musician. I play drums, percussion and a Native American flute. I'm currently in a band, called Ladyz 'n the Barley . <---Please feel free to click this as much as you want. Thanks :)
I live in the woods off of the Oregon coast. I enjoy gardening, taking care of the land, and working on various projects. I recycle and utilize compost. I try to live a low-impact, sustainable lifestyle. I care for the environment and have made and donated sculptures for charities involved with helping Mother Earth and all her children.
Playing With Fire:.. ..