Combining pieces of my rural Vermont surroundings, I create limited edition and one of a kind sculptures which incorporate hand blown glass, stainless steel and mahogany. Living in an old farmhouse with connected barns for my studio greatly inspires my daily thoughts and sketches. My husband and I moved to our home in southern Vermont 10 years ago, and I immediately took it upon myself to create numerous gardens on our old farmland. In my gardens I grow vegetables, berries, perennial and annual flowers and fruit trees. I love to see the constant daily changes that emerge before me. In the long fall and winter months I am inspired by forms of leafless trees against the winter sky, the stillness of freshly fallen snow and birds foraging for winter food.

My passion for creating art began in early childhood. I learned basic drawing and woodworking skills from my father and sewing from my mother. My paternal grandparents earned their living as studio artists at their home in Maine and I was always inspired by their work and lifestyle. After graduating from high school in 1990 I decided to study art at Alfred University and received my BFA in glass and metal sculpture with honors from Alfred in 1994. I have studied at Rhode Island School of Design, Pilchuck Glass School, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, The Studio at the Corning Museum of Glass and Penland School of Crafts. My teachers include Lino Tagliapietra, William Morris, Dante Marioni, Richard Marquis, Pino Signoretto, Randy Walker and Karen Willenbrink-Johnsen.

I began creating my glass wall sculptures in 2003, and they have evolved into the unique mixed-media pieces I make today. All of my pieces are directly inspired by the natural world around me, my love of gardening and my passion for working with molten glass, stainless steel & mahogany.

EDUCATION

1990-1994 Alfred University, Alfred, N.Y. - BFA May 1994
2003 Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, WA - student of William Morris, Karen Willenbrink-Johnsen & Randy Walker - Advanced Hot Glass Sculpting Techniques
1999 Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME - student of Lino Tagliapietra-Advanced Venetian Glass Techniques

1998 The Studio at the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY - student of Pino Signoretto-Advanced Hot Glass Sculpture
1998 Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC -teaching assistant to Kait Rhoads and Walter Lieberman
1997 Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood WA -scholarship student of Richard Marquis & Dante Marioni - Advanced Glass-Blowing and Murrine Techniques
1995 Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME - glass teaching assistant to Brian Pike
1994 Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME - student of Lino Tagliapietra and Dante Marioni-Advanced Glass
1994 Kent State University, Kent, Ohio - special student for 1 week with Henry Halem - Painting on Glass
1993 Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, WA - student of Lino Tagliapietra and Dante Marioni -Advanced Glass
1993 Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI. - special student for 6 weeks with Dante Marioni -Advanced Glass
1992 Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME - Lisa Hart - Book and Paper-making course

AWARDS

2008 The Cohn Family Trust Prize for Excellence in Glass, Philadelphia Museum of Art Fine Craft Show
2008 Excellence in Craft, Best Booth Design, American Craft Council Show, Baltimore, MD
2006 Best in Show Award, Weston Craft Show, Weston, VT
2006 Niche Award Finalist, "Garden Elements" piece, Niche Magazine
2005 Excellence in Glass Design Award - CraftBoston, Boston, MA
2004 Excellence in Glass Award - Art on the Mountain, Wilmington, VT
2003 Excellence in Glass Award - Art on the Mountain, Wilmington, VT
2001 Excellence in Craft: Glass Award -Crafts at the Castle Show-Boston, MA
2001 Niche Award Finalist, Niche Magazine
1994 First Prize Award - Best BFA Show, Alfred University
1994 Divisional Honors, Alfred University
1992 Sophomore Art Award, Alfred University