A Little History about Me/Us

Posted by: Joy Alyssa Day in creation

I've had a fascination with glass artwork from the time I was 15 and saw some amazing reverse painted glass. At that time, I just knew that I liked it, but never considered going into any sort of art career. When I was 19, I went to a library I'd never been in before and one entire wall was formed into a stained and molded glass window, with a huge tree as the focal point. Much of the piece was stained glass, flat, but what I remember most is that some of the leaves were done in blown or cast glass and sculpted to come out of the window into the library space. The sculptural look of it was incredible. I sat staring for hours at the form that went from flat and then out into space and then back into flat. Again, I just knew I liked it.

When the art started taking over, in my 20s, and I wanted to do more and more of it, I remembered the glass painting and figured I would give that a try. It only took the first one to know that I found the technique I wanted to continue with.

I worked as a glass painter, doing illustrations and my own creative work and then making prints to sell. After some years, I started doing work with my current partner. Every once in a while, I would be reminded of that gorgeous tree window and mention it to him, saying that I wish I could do more sculptural pieces.

We were having lunch with a client and they asked us, "Do you ever do 3-dimensional pieces?" Of course, we said "YES!" and they asked us to submit a proposal for a big award. We said to ourselves, "How hard could it be??" and when we got the job, we then said to ourselves, "OK, *now* how do we make this thing?" This is the first glass sculpture we ever did: //glasssculpture.org/awards/ussf/ and building it, transporting it and having to move it 4 times a year, any other sculptures are certainly possible.

So that's where we started in the glass sculpture field. I still do reverse painting, but often combine that with the sculpture as well. Long way from when I started college, but wouldn't change it. I hope you enjoy the artworks I show and please let know what you think!