Waves of Life

Joy is a choice. Some days making this choice is harder. People are mean, hearts get broken, bodies do not always do what we want them to do and, sadly, we lose people we love. How do we survive grief, illness and heartbreak?

I choose Joy. I choose to find joy in each day, I choose to find the strength from within and surround myself with that which feeds my soul. From a young age, creating with glass has always brought me joy. I feel called to create with glass and, through working with it, the noise, worry, and pains of life go away. It is my hope that my work brings joy to others. Even though my body may not agree with me each day, or my heart may get bruised, I desire joy bad enough to go out and find it. For me, glass is where it is most often discovered.

I have spent time exploring the ocean and its parallels to glass and life. Each is affected by the world around them. When glass is hot enough, it flows like water. It can be smooth and inviting, or when broken it can be sharp and inflict pain. The ocean has warm calm days and stormy gray days, but it never stops moving. It never surrenders. It rides the storm, relying on the totality of what surrounds it and perseveres through its challenges. Ultimately it returns to its peaceful calm nature. My hope is that my work causes those who view it to reflect on the totality of their life, embracing challenges and appreciating the power of what helps them through them. Joy is the result of discovering beauty in the waves of life and it is my hope that my work encourages others to find their joy.