Red Rhino Glassworks
I am a stained glass artist with over 25 years experience. As a young teenager, I was constantly inspired by the beautiful lamps and panels created by Louis Comfort Tiffany. My favorite Christmas gift every year was a Tiffany calendar that my parents would always make sure was under the tree. This was before the vast internet was at my fingertips, and I would actually have to ride my bike to the library to look at books about my favorite artists. I would pour over books about Tiffany, Frank Lloyd Wright and Chagall. On my 16th birthday, I received a gift that would ignite a lifelong passion for me….A beginners stained glass kit. After reading the rudimentary basics book, I promptly jumped in with an unmatched enthusiasm. After countless cutting attempts, I realized quickly (and painfully) that more instruction was needed before I could design and execute my first Tiffany style (museum quality, of course) panel. Again, there were no YouTube tutorials to ease my inexperience. My mother came to the rescue by finding a local stained glass artist who was willing to teach me the basics. I still have the cat suncatcher that she helped me create. I was hooked. I went back for a secondary class just to make sure I had the basics down. After that class, I designed my first 12” panel. All the best tools and a grinder were gifted to me by my parents and I still use them. They invested in my dreams and I am reminded of that every time I pick up my tools.
Fast forward to present time. I created RRG in 2012 when I finally had the time to return to my craft. My tattoo artist asked that I make him a Japanese Hannya Mask. I had always thought that tattoo art lines would translate nicely to glass, so I was excited to try it out. Game changer. I got to combine alllllll my favorite stuff into one amazing creative ride.
I best describe my artistic style as both ironic and whimsical. I agonize over detail. All of it. Its not unusual for me to cut the same pieces 2 or 3 times until I get the perfect color or shade. Glass is the very best medium as it almost gains life when lit. It breathes when the light shifts through it, transforming the beautiful to the magnificent. My method is strictly Tiffany copper foil with a specialty in micro-glass, which is a much more detailed method than standard stained glass.
This page is a chance to share not only my work, but the thought process that goes into some of my pieces. If you are interested in such things, please refer to my blog. Ill be posting new work, upcoming shows and interesting projects. And whatever else comes to mind.
Cheers!!
Molly