I’m sure many mixed media artists could write a great book about where their materials come from! Weathered and torn books from long ago, vintage dress fabrics, steampunk brass thingies, torn menus, and pummeled metal are pretty popular. My gallery neighbor, Andy Saczynski uses a lot of discarded musical instruments in his work.
I use derelict surfboards as a base for my work. Christon Anderson uses all of the above in his work! I was at a gallery on Maui and saw a body of work created by an artist using squished up rolls of toilet paper (don’t worry, it was unused I’m sure!) What I’m getting at is that I’m no different, really! I look at discarded GLASS the same way other mixed media artists look at their “thing.” For me, it’s just always been glass.
I’m a glass artist that started painting. I’m not a painter that started using glass. I don’t know if it shows in my work, but, I’ve been playing with glass as an art form for the past 17 years! My tools and my hands know how to handle glass. I’m not afraid of it. I’ve twirled it, melted it, bent it, raked it, glued it, nipped it, smashed it, and created a ton of work with it! I’ve loved it and hated it too. I’ve scooped it up off the pavement and I’ve paid a load of cash for it too.
And, just when I thought I’d seen every kind of art made with wine bottles..I started slicing them up and adding them to my paintings! I LOVE THEM! I love that their beauty is already there! I love the shades of green and brown and their lovely silhouettes. Most of all, I love the labels..I love the stories they tell etc (can’t stand the UPC codes on them tho..and the government warnings..argh..so NOT art-like!!)
I like to work in a series…I have Wine Bottle Art Days…and Tree of Life Days. This past week in my studio, I had back-to-back “Masterpiece” Days. Which means I have a big show coming up and I need to think BIG and AMAZING and WOW! Tomorrow? I’m gonna have MIRROR DAY!!!!
Peace, Love, Glass
Mary
