Describe your business.
My studio is in my home, so it’s relaxing, and I work when I want. When I first started working in glass, I began with fusing and making beads for jewelry. As time went on, I started experimenting with making marbles and sculptures. I love to make sculptures, which include fish in kelp, sea turtles, shells and jellyfish. Another fun piece is penguins. For my jewelry I make many kinds of pendants from flowers to hearts to jellyfish. I make sculptures by special request.
How did you become interested in working with glass?
A friend of mine introduced me to a fusing class that she offered through UNLV. The more I worked with glass, the more addicting it became. Glass Craft and Glass Stock offers a variety of classes ranging from fusing, sandblasting, painting, casting and hot-torch work. I totally immersed myself.
Who are your customers?
Everyone. That’s the joy and beauty of being an artist. Teaching and sharing are amazing. At Art in the Park, Harvest Festival, First Friday and markets, I meet the most wonderful people looking for that special treasure.
What’s the most important part of your job?
The most important part of my job is to make people happy through the creation of art.
What is the best part about doing business in Las Vegas?
It is an international market where people come from all over the world.
From where do you draw inspiration?
One must see the nature and beauty of the world inside and out. There is so much to see. There is so much color with flowers, animals, scenery. Just to be able to bring everything alive through art. It’s incredible.
What is the most difficult part of creating glass works?
The most difficult part of this art form is learning how the glass flows with different heat ranges. One must develop a skill to determine what temperature range the glass is in for what you are trying to create. The finer the detail, the greater one must control the heat range. Just one moment in loss of concentration can ruin a piece you have spent an hour creating.
Do you have a favorite piece you’ve created?
A lady saw my work at a farmers market, and she was from New Jersey. She wanted to know if I would make her a glass wedding cake topper of a raven and a hummingbird. This was very personal to her, as she was known as the Hummingbird and the groom was known as the Raven. This ended up being a four-month project, but it was well worth the final piece.
Do you have plans to expand beyond glass into other media?
Not at this time, since there are endless possibilities working with glass. There will always be new projects and techniques to pursue.
What obstacles has your business overcome?
The more events you attend, the more product you will need and the less time you will have to produce your work. Since you are the artist, you cannot just go out and hire someone else to produce the work. You must balance between production and time necessary to do the events.
How can Nevada improve its business climate?
It is difficult to get into many local events such as farmers markets because your business license is only good for that one location. Every event requires a new license. The profit margin is small enough that it does not justify the cost to do the event.