Pilchuck Studio shot taken by Russell Johnson. This piece has been sold. For other Trophy Vessels in this series contact Heller Gallery
Artist's Statement
My artwork relies heavily on the energy of personal artistic discovery. I would much rather plunge straight ahead with a new technique or idea than risk losing some of its freshness to over-analyzing. The years studying design and owning a sewing shop have come full circle. Once a seamstress, I now sew glass panels together to create translucent vessels and sculpture.In a way, my work is the result of homemaking skills gone awry. I have always embraced femininity and domesticity in spirit, but not in action. My life as an artist puts housekeeping last, while instead I cook, arrange, and sew glass. My internal domestic struggle has led me to examine the concept of domestic expectations and traditional roles of men and women. I am intrigued by 1950's imagery and the false perception of simpler times. My work embraces the domestic act of sewing in an unexpected medium. I enjoy combining text with nostalgic imagery to create pieces that explore the complex dichotomy of women's roles within the household.
The technical process of creating sewn glass is a labor of love. Each sculpture or vessel starts out as a flat sheet of glass. To establish the three-dimensional shape and holes, each section of the glass is kiln-fired several times. The imagery is imbedded into the glass by sandblasting, and then by rubbing glass enamels into the blasted area to create the black and gray "photo". The components are then re-fired to 1250 degrees to melt the enamel into the glass. Once cooled, the sections are finally sewn together. Depending on the complexity of the vessel or sculpture, the entire creative process may take two to four weeks to complete.
A native of Duluth, Minnesota, I migrated south with the geese one fall and studied Design at the University of Iowa. Now a resident of Columbia, Missouri, my studio is a wonderful old 1930's house in downtown Columbia that my husband and I rescued from demolition. I am a 2002 recipient of Pilchuck Glass School emerging artists grant, a Wheaton Village fellow in fall of 2003, and locally, a visiting artist at several community schools. I have been the fortunate recipient of many awards, including being a 2002 and 2003 Niche Award Finalist in Fused Glass and an Honorable Mention at the 2003 Smithsonian Show.
Click onto "Gallery Representation and Upcoming Shows" to find out where you can see more of Susan Taylor Glasgow's work.
© 2007 Taylor Glasgow Studios