Piece by Piece

The following interview was done with Patricia Denis about some of the challenges while making glass art as well as some of her favourite parts about it. In the interview, she will talk about selling her work in addition to giving some advice to aspiring artists.

Something that I find interesting is going for a walk in nature. I know that at first it might sound like a boring and simplistic topic to write about; however, I think that these days people have lost a sense of how much enjoyment some time outside can bring. Every day I take my dog for an hour walk whether it is sunny or pouring down rain. Usually, I go to local parks, fields and forest trails near my house. This is always the highlight of my day. No matter what is happening in life, the feeling of fresh air and being immersed in the sights and sounds of nature offers a temporary relief.

Piece by Piece; Becoming an Artist

“Becoming an artist… is an important transition” says Lisa Scott and Chloe Watfern in their article “Becoming an artist and sharing my story.”

Patricia Denis, a British Columbian artist began a new hobby turned business opportunity during her retirement years right in her own home. She creates glass art pieces and quickly gained traction after catching the attention of many interested buyers who wanted to take a piece home to call their own.

How It All Began

After retiring from a career as a school teacher, Patricia began trying out various new hobbies with her new found free time. Her and her husband opened up a bed and breakfast within their home as a business on the side, but she found her true passion and purpose through art.

In an interview for a local newspaper about “Headstones for the Ashcroft Cemetery,” she said that “[it] was a new process for me, but it was a lovely learning experience.”

It all began seven years ago after meeting a friend who did glass art. Initially, she never dreamt that she would be able to do this kind of work and turned her friends offer to teach her down. When an opportunity came up to help her friend with a community mosaic piece, she decided to lend a hand and give it a try.

While participating in the community artwork, Patricia said that “[it’s] a lovely project for the winter” in the interview done about “Headstones for the Ashcroft Cemetery.”

Creating a Studio at Home

As she got better, she wanted to try creating pieces for herself. She bought her own equipment and built her studio, because it was easier to work at home while running the bed and breakfast.

“[Artists’] studios… tell different stories” as said by Wanda M. Corn in her commentary in “Artists’ Homes and Studios.”

Her home studio includes glass cutting machines to “cut pieces of stained glass,” like in the HGTV story, “How to make Mosaic-Stained Glass Art.” As well as, grinding equipment, storage for the glass pieces, and light tables which are used to help cut glass by shining a light through the piece.

How to Create a Glass Art Piece:

1. Select and paint a window frame.
2. Draw your image on a piece of glass or window.
3. Think of shapes that will be the different pieces and lines of the different glass colors.
4. Choose colors and what goes together well, decide if textured glass will be used.
5. Cut the glass into pieces.
6. Adhere colored pieces to clear glass background.
7. Cure until no longer cloudy.
8. Put a weld bond wash over it to seal all of the glass in.
9. Dry.
10. Grout.
11. Clean up the grout, the glass and touch up the frame.

There is a myriad of things go into it. You have to have somewhere to show your work and have enough confidence. Now most of her items are “sellable,” but originally, she didn’t think they were good enough.

When and Where Do You Sell Art Work?

She began displaying her art at her bed and breakfast. She hesitated to even call herself an artist at first, but after more and more people became interested in her pieces, she was shocked to see the amount of joy that people got from her work. This gave her more confidence to set prices and start selling.

She uses social media to share her artwork as “[using] the Internet to get your name and your work out there seems to be a must for all artists” said Sean Moore in his book “How to Make Money as an Artist.”

Nowadays, Patricia has participated in many group projects around her hometown, has had her artwork displayed in stores and has been invited to show her work at the art gallery in Hope, BC.

Future Goals

In the future, Patricia wants to continue to improve her techniques and artistry. She is also interested in learning how to incorporate other elements such as fabric into her pieces. Her ultimate goal is to share the joy of her work with others.

References

Corn, W. M. (2005). Artists’ Homes and Studios: A Special Kind of Archive. American Art, 19(1), 2–11. https://doi.org/10.1086/429967

 How to make Mosaic Stained Glass Art. HGTV. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2021, from https://www.hgtv.com/design/make-and-celebrate/handmade/how-to-make-mosaic-stained-glass-art.

 Moore, S. (2000). How to Make Money As an Artist : The 7 Winning Strategies of Successful Fine Artists. Chicago Review Press.

Roden, B. (2017, May 23). New headstones for ashcroft chinese cemetery a labour of love. Ashcroft Cache Creek Journal. Retrieved November 29, 2021, from https://www.ashcroftcachecreekjournal.com/community/new-headstones-for-ashcroft-chinese-cemetery-a-labour-of-love/.

 Scott, L., & Watfern, C. (2021). Becoming an artist and sharing my story. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 49(3), 287–292. https://doi-org.ezproxy.tru.ca/10.1111/bld.12397