This blog is about my life in my studio over the last fifty-two years, exploring creativity and being self-directed. I’m sharing this because I am all too aware of the struggle it takes to go out on one’s own and make art one’s life work.

 

I hope that sharing my experiences will make your journey less complicated and more financially rewarding.

 

My concern for the future of artists and art drives me. That’s why my blog is free, ad-free, and interactive. It’s a space where we can all share and learn together.

Designing

There are times when I get a little carried away and over-design. Usually, there is a transition in my mind when I can’t find what

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Promotion

1985, we worked with St Peter Baptist Church in Glen Allen, Virginia, creating their new stained glass windows. Before social media, we would share our

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Beveling

I created this fire screen around 1998 for a home in Richmond, Virginia. This couple had an Art Deco room full of beautiful objects. I’m

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Bevels

I created this window as a shower door for a home in Richmond, Virginia, around 1994. The idea was that one was showering beside a

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Etched

We created this mirror for a restaurant in Richmond, Virginia, around 1980. Art glass goes through phases of popularity. Stained glass, beveled glass, and etched

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Carving

Carving is one of the most challenging processes I do. It is almost always on a thick piece of glass; in this case, the glass

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Designing

For years, getting started was the hardest part. I waited for “inspiration.” I thought I needed to have the image in my mind and then

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Designing

Sometimes, I draw at my drawing or kitchen table just for fun, following my imagination. I enjoy being a commissioned glass artist. Working in a

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Flameworking

Flameworking has become an essential part of our art. Four of our current commissions will require thousands of pieces, which we will make one at

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Ornamentation

Looking closely at this window, you will see small, clear glass sculptures. Each is three to four pieces of 3/8-inch glass that I beveled on

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Self

Creating the art glass windows I make takes a lot of study. First, I must study the idea, translate it into a drawing, find and

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Self

I have found a most enjoyable way to exercise. I peddle my stationary recumbent bike for thirty minutes five days a week. Over the instrument

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Self

I have never liked stereotyping people. I’m not good at it, and I almost always feel bad if I do. Of course, it’s just a

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Efficiency

John came to work yesterday but was unusually excited to tell me something. Remember when I first started working here? We were beveling one day,

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Inspiration

Around twenty-five years ago, I sought another outlet for inspiration. I grew bored with traditional stained glass designs and wanted fresh ideas. I found it

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Designing

When I design a window, I consider how far away the viewer will be. This concept is often seen in church windows. The background design

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Spontaneity

As I age, I find that being creative is much more spontaneous. When I look back on my younger days, with all of the to-dos

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Self

My adjustment to our world was painful because of my left-brain—right-brain switch; I have evolved into a very inward person. My self-development, which I have

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Rosettes

It’s not unusual for leaded glass in a residential entryway to have rosettes over the solder joints as a decorative feature. When restoring a window,

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Career Day

I have always enjoyed Career Day. I’m usually included as an alternative choice for the students who are most likely not to go past high

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Family

I designed this window for Tanden Friends School in 2001. We sent our children to this small Charlottesville, Virginia, school modeled after the transcendentalist. There

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Self

Glass cutting is something I take seriously. Each type of glass cuts slightly differently, requiring varying pressures on the little wheel at the end of

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Shop

We heat our shop with wood. Living out in the country, there is always plenty of firewood from fallen and dying trees, and of course,

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Bevels

I created this transom for a home in Richmond, Virginia, in 1994. All the bevel glass transoms I’ve seen in the older parts of Richmond

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Self

When I started my journey in 1972, I was 23 years old. One of my biggest challenges was pricing my work. I remember how nervous

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Design

When I design a window like this, I first create the main feature. Much effort goes into the detailing, so I avoid leaning over into

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Inspiration

Every year, this time is an anniversary for me. It marks my first deep appreciation for nature’s beauty. I’m not sure where my thoughts were

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Social Media

When I was 13, my mother took my brother, sister, and me to the Virginia State Fair. I enjoyed seeing all the young animals, eating

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Potatoes

Potatoes grow well in our zip code. Living in the country, we can purchase a pickup truckload of aged manure for $5.00. Add in all

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Artist

This is not Norman Rockwell. Most mornings, I peddle my stationary recumbent bike for about thirty minutes. Right above the controls is a place for

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