About Karen
Working with warm glass since 2007, my kiln-formed glass vessels in brilliant colors and complex designs are collected nationwide. I create artwork for people who love vibrant color and luscious lines, and crave tangible art with shape and heft.
Whether it’s a modern-day take on the traditional murrine construction of 16th century Murano, Italy, or carefully-engineered flowing and mingling, I enjoy creating special glass components and then designing around them. Elements of a finished piece have frequently undergone several firings on their way to the final artwork.
Tell Me More!
When I’m not cutting glass or peering into a kiln, I like to hike in the US and abroad, perform quirky dance routines in Labor Day parades, and bake cupcakes with odd flavorings.
I have dozens of tiny drawers of extremely organized hardware.
I do a lot of my own home renovation — painting, flooring, trim, closet installation, tile. Friends stop by when they need a table saw, drill press, or floor nailer. I hate grouting!
My hair color constantly changes. It hasn’t been a natural color since 2004.
I have parasailed in France.
I accidentally free-climbed a mountain that should have required a climbing harness in Romania.
Journey to Glass
A software developer and database architect by training, my journey into glass began with stained glass in the early 2000s. After a few years, feeling constrained by the limitations of flat panes, I took a fused glass class at my local community center and was hooked on warm glass!
Looking around for instruction, I found a warm glass teaching studio just up the road from me. Little did I know at the time, but I’d stumbled into Vitrum Studios, which turned out to be one of the preeminent teaching studios in the country. I had the great fortune of learning there for several years with a variety of domestic and international visiting instructors as well as Vitrum’s delightful owners.
As my enthusiasm for glass grew, so did my herd of kilns and demands for electricity. A few years in, I had to move out of my historic co-op row home when they decided I couldn’t have a 50-amp kiln!
As I learn and explore new techniques and constructions, my love for riotous color in my work never changes. Perhaps what you’d expect for someone with an ever-changing rainbow of hair colors and a bright orange and blue car.
If you’re ready to embrace color in your home, visit my shop to see current work, or contact me to discuss something custom.
