The big 40 - that is where a big change happened in my life. After a lifetime of freelancing (signmaking and graphic design) and with the blessing (and encouragement) from my better half, I stopped working. All of a sudden I was left with a lot more hours in a day than I had had for a long time. Not wanting to turn into the proverbial soapie watching, tea and cookies gossipmonger, I looked for other ways to keep me out of mischief. One was volunteering in my kids’ Scout Group and another was indulging a passion for reading and catching up on lost times on all matters “design” I could lay my hands on.
A few years later, almost by accident (or shall we call it karma) I happened to see an advert for a Chihuly exhibition in an American home magazine and I felt myself getting all warm and excited.
The picture in the ad was spectacular and it triggered a latent interest in glass. I took reading and research on the subject to the next level and the more I surfed the web, the more fascinated I became. At one particular occasion a friend gave me a gift voucher and rather than go spoil myself with a new wardrobe I spent it on a great book about contemporary stained glass in architectural context. I spent hours devouring each page and trying to figure out: "How do they do that?".
"Even the wildest dreams have to start somewhere. Allow yourself the time and space to let your mind wander and your imagination fly." (Oprah Winfrey)
I desperately wanted to start working with glass for real but didn’t really know how and what. Research about techniques, materials and equipment eventually made me decide to start on a small scale: flame working and bead making. I'm quite a shy person and be able to work in my garage would suit me just fine. Agreed, the budget needed for a small flame working set up was also a deciding factor. I made a few acceptable glass beads but struggled with various problems that even advice from books or internet couldn’t really solve. I figured that I needed to step out of my comfort zone, get a human connection and start to work face to face with people in the industry - glass art industry that is.
To make a long story short: I started an evening course in Stained Glass (although not my primary interest), got convinced by my teacher to go back to school and do a full time B.Tech Fine Art degree with serious focus on warm glass applications et voila - here I am!
A 10 year process of discovery and learning. Now I’m 50 and ready to start something new with my life. I learned a stack in those few years, attended a few really great courses, visited a number of contemporary glass studio's and exhibitions and am hooked more than ever before. I see inspiration in everything around me and the list of projects I want to handle grows by the day. I'm blessed and look forward to a very productive and inspirational second half century!
