I grew up in a rural setting near Two Rivers, Wisconsin, where I and my siblings developed an appreciation and love of nature. The eldest daughter in a large family there was little time for art, yet art was in the family genes. Throughout my life I have explored a variety of mediums including drawing, painting, photography, clay, gourd art, fabric painting, stained glass and most recently glass fusing.

           

My fascination with glass began in 1987, when I took a UW Mini course on glass fusing. I was intrigued but had no kiln of my own, so glass fusing was put on hold until 1989, when I first had access to a kiln, and chanced upon a book on glass fusing. I started with scrap window glass, a ceramic kiln and liquid glass paints and just started experimenting. In those days there weren’t classes readily available like there is now, so I learned through trial and error.

Over time I’ve taken classes and tried a variety of techniques from slumping, draping and fusing to etching, torch work, pot pours, molding and blowing glass, and although I continue to use all of these techniques at times in specific pieces, my primary love continues to be painting on glass using powdered glass in an oil medium.

I feel fortunate to have discovered fusing on my own, prior to its recent surge in popularity, because it has allowed me to develop a style all my own. Whether it be painted or layered, my jewelry and art glass pieces are a fusion of my love of flowers, nature and glass.