Aka Windstar

In the depths of our souls lie our passions, our deepest insecurities, and the foundations of what truly makes us who we are.  For artists we lay our souls out for all to see, for others to cast judgment upon and to hopefully bring just a glimpse of the feeling, and moment that we lived in creating the piece.

 Growing up I was surrounded with strong men and women who worked with their hands, creating art, creating music, and creating a life through the crafts that fed our family and the families of those around us.  You might have guessed it, we were hippies.  As a young child I was tossed into the winds of the rainbow, myself and family traveled the country chasing springtime, freedom and a connection with nature and the unseen that is now forgotten in modern society.

 Through the influences around me I developed a passion for the arts and working with my hands.  I dived head first into any craft around me, and there where many! First it was drawing or sketching, from there macramé, carving, bead work, needle work, pottery... and the list goes on.  I never received a more formal training other than learning from the elders and artisans around me and when I found glass it was in the same fashion.  Glass was introduced to my life through family! my mother now a retired hippy and successful business woman owned several smoke shops and continued to approach life in an unconventional but free manner, approached me about making production glass for her customers after the birth of my daughter.  For me it was love at first sight. The way the glass moved and changed when introduced to fire was a light that lite my soul with a passion I had never experienced. After some basic instruction I was set free to learn and develop this new craft. Within the first few months I got to work with several artisans who would stop through our local studio. One of these artists Brock Sibley spent a little extra time and had a lasting impact on the direction my path would take.  Stringer drawing was first introduced to me by Brock and it absolutely blew my mind.  I had been drawing, since I could hold a crayon and when I found out I could do so on glass, the doors opened to limitless possibilities.  12 years later this is my passion, my profession and my career that feeds my life and those I protect and nurture.