GLASS ARTISANS
Steve Smith - Juried Artisan
Empty bottles seem to gather in our New London, Alabama studio. Glass bottles are such a wonderful medium, they are abundant, and their otherwise future in a landfill is almost assured, where they are believed to last over a million years...pretty much forever. They offer a smooth, translucent, reflective quality, stirring both the tactile and visual senses. My works include wall sculpture mosaics, wind chimes, wall tiles, pendants, and earrings.
Recycled bottles vary in composition as well as color. Additional colors are achieved through the use of powdered glass enamels and frits into which designs and patterns are sketched. Bottles are cut with a diamond blade wet saw, melted and fire polished in kilns, and at times sand tumbled, all of which provide for the variety of appearances and textures. There is more of this artisan's work on this web site. Click here to see it.
Janice James Eubank - Juried Artisan
After 35 years in the corporate world, Janice “retired” and entered the world of Fine Art and Fine Crafts and had her first show within two months after her first lesson. Since then she has been awarded several First Place Awards, featured in local newspapers, and even has an artistic piece that is a permanent part of the State of Alabama Bicentennial Showcase. Occasionally she has taught several classes in multiple categories of mediums. However, it is Fusible Glass that she is passionate about. And Fused Glass is a cruel mistress—she cuts, she breaks, she cracks, she changes color. And when you open that kiln, you’re never sure, what you are going to get. But if she knows that you appreciate and respect her, she has a dazzling fire inside of her that when the light lands on her just right it will often take an observer’s breath away. And you find it was totally worth it. There is more of this artisan's work on this web site. Click here to see it.
Carolyn Ratliff - Juried Artisan
Carolyn Ratliff began working in kiln fused glass after retiring from a career in computer science. She has pursued various artistic mediums throughout her life and finds that they provide an excellent background for working with glass. She makes functional plates and bowls as well as pictures to hang on the wall. The color and sparkle of glass influences each completed piece.
Ronnie Seitel - Juried Artisan
I've been working with stained glass since the early 1980s. My goal is to engage the viewer while providing a sense of joy through the colors and design of my work. Most items are one of a kind; my love is creating original designs inspired by nature and architecture. My work is handcrafted for lasting quality and design. There is more of this artisan's work on this web site. Click here to see it.
The Pond: A layered composition combining open space, linear elements, and organic form. This piece explores balance, contrast, and the relationship between structure and nature-inspired imagery.
Karen Dixon - Juried Artisan
Karen Dixon is a Birmingham-based kiln-formed glass artist whose work is shaped by experimentation, craftsmanship, and a love of color, texture, and movement. Often inspired by nature, her work explores layered surfaces, fluidity, and the expressive possibilities of glass. Her work has been exhibited in juried gallery and museum exhibitions throughout the Southeast, and she has received awards for her work. There is more of this artisan's work on this web site. Click here to see it.
Rhandie Weaver - Juried Artisan
Stained Glass
Rhandie is constantly experimenting with techniques to expand her vision and skill set. She has a very distinctive style and enjoys projects that challenge her knowledge and abilities. She created “Indigenous Vulcan”, her largest project to date, which resides in The Birmingham Zoo and is part of “Vulcans on Parade”. There is more of this artisan's work on this web site. Click here to see it.
Toby Klein - Juried Artisan
Toby’s glass is created with burst of colors, design and motion all captured in “The Artists Kaleidoscopic World”. Always being intrigued by the natural vibrancy of glass and the beautiful reflections it creates, Toby included glass in her mixed media work. After taking classes by well know artist and reading books on kiln formed glass, Toby then added the fused glass to her collage art. 2020 was a turning point in her career as she evolved and began to create larger pieces of glass. Toby continues to learn by reading books and taking online classes to further her knowledge of fused glass. Now, after working with kiln formed glass for 20 years, her exhibits are primarily glass. Understanding color, design & technique has allowed her to experiment with glass, developing her own style in creating different & unusual pieces. All of Toby’s work is an adventure – beginning with an idea & then working through each phase to completion. The journey begins by creating color depth & texture by over lapping pieces of glass with abstract shapes, many times leaving spaces in between, to create rich hues, design & dimension. To further enhance some of her pieces, Toby uses handmade, purchased or manipulate molds to add a variety of shapes to her glass. The addition of copper or bronze wire design, intertwined with the glass is sometimes used to complete the overall effect. Each piece is individually designed & handcrafted by her. Toby’s goal in creating her work is to intrigue each person by drawing their eye into the piece of art, while holding it there, so they can see all of the intricate detail. Toby is an award winning & published artist. There is more of this artisan's work on this web site. Click here to see it.