Orange & Khaki Earrings

After earning my BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing (and a Studio Art minor), I entered the workforce in Consumer Packaged Goods as a market research analyst. Flash forward 17 years and an MBA later, I was doing rather well in business and in my career but always felt as though something was missing (and I was spending 10 hours a day in front of a computer – exactly what I did not want to do). On a whim, my sister asked me to join her and my mom at an introductory lampworking class. I agreed, hesitantly, as I was so focused on my career and thought it would be a waste of time for this Type-A, instant gratification kind of person. Within 15 minutes of the class I was a different person – feeling reborn – I was creating with my hands! What an amazing feeling! This is what I was missing for so long!

Since that first class in 2006, I have been refining my technique and learning the intricacies of working with glass while continuing to work full-time in the pharmaceutical industry. To enhance my skills, I have attended classes by leading artisans including: Cynthia Liebler Saari, Nancy Tobey, Lauri Copeland, and Joanne Conant. To enhance my glass work, I have started to learn metalsmithing and have taken classes with Pauline Warg and Joy Raskin. My work has been featured in ‘1000 Jewelry Inspirations (Sandra Salamony 2011),’ ‘Creative Lampwork (Joan Gordon 2011),’ ‘Creating Glass Beads (Jeri L. Warhaftig 2011),’ and ‘1000 Beads (Kristina Logan 2014).’ I was the glass studio manager and teacher at the Brookfield Craft Center (2011-2013) and am currently on staff at the Silvermine Art Center.

My designs have been sold at the Brookfield Craft Center, the Guilford Art Center, Silvermine Art Center, Creative Arts Workshop, via local artisan shows and now at the Arts Center Killingworth’s new Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, CT.