Here is another “creative cool” woman in my inner circle who has just recently reacquainted herself with her artistic self after allowing her gift to remain dormant while in the midst of single-parenting.   Now, that her daughter is off to college and she is an “empty nester”, Heidi is now full-throttled into her art and I can attest to the calming change it has brought to her life.  Heidi and I are co-workers that became friends.   We are highly technical information technologists who build the infrastructure for very complex computing environments and we are also creative beings who find “balance” in our lives by embracing our artistic life.

Here are Heidi’s words about her artistic journey:

It’s funny  I never really considered myself an artist but as I started thinking about how to reply for this post I realized that is exactly what I am.

I am an artist whose medium is glass. My abilities include;

1.      fuse (or melt) glass

2.      create mosaics from glass

3.      create panels from glass

I took my first course in my early 20’s.  Between college work and having a child the inspiration was always there but the finances were not so I would attend glass exhibits.  I remember very vividly walking through a Dale Chihuly exhibit in Connecticut and thinking I was a mermaid.  I actually sat down in the middle of the exhibit with my four year old daughter in awe at his creations.  I knew I would be working with glass at some point in my life.

When Shannon (my daughter) started going away to summer camps, I started slowly learning about how to work with glass more.  In 2006 I took a different class while Shannon was back north for the summer.  I enjoyed seeing the glass panels come to life.  Then I veered off of working with initially designed patterns and started doing my own thing (making earring holders, etc.).  Then I learned about fused glass which gave me internally different directions (jewelry, bowls, plates, vases – endless opportunities).

My latest technique is Verre Eglomise which is a combination of painting, sand blasting, and fusing glass. 

Working with glass brings me into a different world.  I sometimes dubbed this world “my no screen world”— no cell phone, computer or TV.  I create with my hands and mind.  When I am in my “glass zone”, nothing bothers me.  I don’t feel bogged down from the pressures of society.  I am happy.  Being creative is freeing or dare I say liberating.  I look at life differently.   I enjoy designing something special for friends and family.  I give a piece of my heart with every creation. 

I have started to form a business plan and will begin to sell hopefully in 2015.  I will do a one day exhibit in October of 2014.  My business will be called Raise Your Glass – Unique Glass Creations by Noreen as my first name is Noreen.  I would like to retire and do artistic glass shows around the country.  I think this would be a great way to see this country and become more inspired.

Here are  pictures of some of Heidi’s “practice” pieces: