Originally named the Transco Tower, this iconic Houston landmark still stands as the tallest skyscraper in the United States outside of a city’s central business district.
Today it is known as the Williams Tower, and this custom piece was made for an artist who got married at the top of the building. The sunflowers were part of her bouquet and represented each member of her family.
A career-defining album that was the summer defining event of 2024, Charlie XCX’s Brat even appeared as part of the Harris presidential campaign.
The bright green glass was as close a match to the Pantone(3507C) as possible. Thanks to my trusty ring saw, the lower-case arial font worked out as hoped.
What better way to commemorate a Brat Summer?
I was asked to create a custom piece focused solely on the word Rise, an inspirational idea for its recipient.
But I love the sentiment as well. There are times in all of our lives where we must Rise to whatever occasion we face. And even though we may fail in that moment, this piece is a constant reminder that the getting back up is really what it’s all about.
“The secret is not great when one knows it.
But it is something to one who does it.
Turn and turn again and we will also turn,
So that we give pleasure to each of you.
And when we have turned, count our ears,
It is there, without any disguise, you will find a marvel.”
– Jurgis Baltrusaitis
Dating back to 6th or 7th century China, the motif of the Three Hares made its way across the world, and with a multiplicity of interpretations regarding its meaning.
Visually it appears that each hare has two ears when in fact each shares one from its mate. Enigmatic!
Alexander Girard’s mid-century collection of 22 different dolls showcase a brilliant synthesis of his modernist sensibilities with his personal passion for folk art from around the world.
Lovingly, recreated here in stained glass, not only does this piece retain the “charmingly quirky” elements of the original, but also amplifies the vivid coloration of the piece with the inclusion of light.
This delicate rendition of a wing of the singing cicada is actually my most reproduced item. Elegant strings of color outline a variety of textured glass that turn light into something magical.
Beware player #1! Referred to by Nintendo as the Spiny Shell, this little guy is the most feared if you’re in first place.
Drawn in the style of a botanical print, this piece is all about the peach! I spent an entire summer eating almost nothing but peaches!
My whole journey with art, in stained glass as well as the other forms I have attempted, stems from that same longing for something beyond.
For me, that almost always reads as beauty, but it always seeks to capture mystery and wonder as well.
Based on the famous painting by Vincent van Gogh, I took this piece on many years ago as a challenge to try and translate an oil painting into glass. I have new tools that would allow for more details in the interpretation, if I were to try this again.
Wings like stained glass! Exactly!
One of my favorite butterflies, this was a challenging piece, because most pieces are actually fully black and completely opaque. It required each black piece to be traced out on paper and then glued to the glass in order to cut out it’s shape.
Every morning we go out and take Creative Director, Winston J Dog, on his morning walkies. While not explicitly the goal, my eye constantly scans the path to see what treasures the earth has sprinkled upon the ground.
One of my personal favorite finds is feathers of any type. And of those, my favorite feather is this one! I have an entire collection of found blue jay feathers, so I couldn’t help but make one out of glass.
Would also make other feathers, just sayin’….
This little butterfly was based on the drawing by 4 year old Allie Wade. I loved being able to turn her little drawing into glass for the whole family to enjoy.
When the original accidentally got damaged during a move, I got to make it a second time! It’s soooooo adorable. Just like Allie.
One more lovely quote about the nature of treasures and another carefully curated collection of treasures found in nature, arranged in a vintage letter press printer tray.
For a full consideration of the process, see the description of the other Treasure Box collection.
Enjoy!
In case it wasn’t clear, I love the natural world. Housed in this vintage letter press printer’s tray is a meticulously curated collection of treasures gathered over years of walks and explorations.
This is the real magic, the real art, when you find a series of seemingly unrelated objects in the world, but somehow find a way to create a harmonious vision out of them.
And really isn’t that just a reflection of what we seek in our everyday lives? Isn’t that the real goal as we create our homes and our friendships and our families and our loves?
This bright orange ceramic table lamp is adorned with individually cut and placed pinecone scales. I love the juxtaposition of the hard, spiny exterior hiding a beautiful, bright interior world.
Also, thieves will never steal this.
Cloudcroft, NM
Pine cones, sticks, rocks, moss, bark, decaying bark, pine needles, bones, and tree stumps comprise this large format piece assembled deep within the Lincoln National Forest. What started as a tiny little mandala out of pinecones grew into something much bigger. Just like the forest.
“It’s not easy being cheesy”- Chester Cheetah
“Dangerously cheesy”- Chester Cheetah
Small, delicate glass Cheetos for the ultimate Cheeto lover.
If you come to visit my studio and gallery, you MAY notice something of a fascination with Cheetos. And that’s okay. It’s not weird, and I can quit whenever I want.
“In the summer evening, the fireflies weave a dance of light, as if the stars themselves had come to earth to whisper secrets.”
-Eudora Welty
Displayed in the Firefly Cabin at Mandala Ridge Retreats, VT. This was created to capture the magic of fireflies. When the sun hits just right, little yellow dots are projected onto the walls throughout the room, a bright reminder of the wonder soon to be seen in the dark.
“Julia, seashell eyes, windy smile, calls me
So I sing a song of love, Julia”
-John Lennon
When our sweet Julia turned 21 I made this portrait of her with (one of) her cat(s). Not quite as lovely as the original, but that’s a high bar.
“Feed me, Seymour!”
-Audrey II
If you know the classic 1986 film, Little Shop of Horrors, directed by Muppet Master, Frank Oz, then you know. If you don’t, you might want to add it to your next-up list.
Excellent performances by Ellen Greene, Rick Moranis, Levi Stubbs, Steve Martin, and a an excellent BIll Murray cameo to boot.
Give it a watch and then see if you too, would ilke an Audrey II for your window.
“The entire universe is one ecosystem, similar to a spider web— if one part is touched, the entire net shimmers.”
-Matthew Flickstein
“The spider’s web: She finds an innocuous corner in which to spin her web. The longer the web takes, the more fabulous its construction. She has no need to chase. She sits quietly, her patience a consummate force; her web a deadly field for her prey.”
-Donna Lynn Hope
Whether you’re a huge fan of spiders during SHPOOKY SEASON, or a lover of the glorious intricacies to be found in their amazing webs, you should find something in this piece to make you happy. A variety of clear, iridescent, and textured glass makes this spiderweb piece pop! Put it up for Halloween because it’s SHPOOKY! Keep it up all year because it’s delightful!
“The caterpillar on the leaf whispers to the chrysalis, ‘You will not believe what happens next.'”
-William Blake
Like the dawning of a new day, the Chrysalis represents the wonder and possibility of the beauty to come. The warm glow of this stunning pendant imparts that same sense of beauty and wonder to any space.
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”
-Maya Angelou
Muted earthy colors, a bold, beautiful pattern, and delicate wire antennae remind us why the butterfly so gracefully captures the imagination. Unlike a real butterfly, this one will be around for many years to provide joy and maybe even answers to esoteric questions…
“I dreamed I was a butterfly, flitting around in the sky; then I awoke. Now I wonder: Am I a man who dreamt of being a butterfly, or am I a butterfly dreaming that I am a man?”
-Zhuangzi
“In the kitchens of love, after all, vice is like the pepper in a good sauce; it brings out the flavor, it’s indispensable.”
– Laurence Sterne
“The tomato offers its gift of fiery color and cool completeness, and the pepper offers its gift of spice and heat.”
– Pablo Neruda
I love peppers! Hailing from New Mexico, we were intimately familiar with so many pepper varietals. Although it’s not one of the famous Hatch green chiles, this spicy number makes me sooooo happy! The combination of iridescent, textured, and cathedral green glass makes this lovely jalapeño cross-section a great addition to a kitchen window, or anywhere the heat of the sun can bring out the spice of the piece. Bon appétit!
“Everything takes time. Bees have to move very fast to stay still.”
-David Foster Wallace
“The bee collects honey from flowers in such a way as to do the least damage or destruction to them, and he leaves them whole, undamaged and fresh, just as he found them.”
-St. Francis de Sales
Mandala Ridge Retreats, nestled deep in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, holds a special place in our hearts. A beautiful and serene place, far afield from the hustle of everyday existence, here one may take the time collect honey for one’s spirit, nourished by the unspoiled splendor of the surrounding nature.
The subdued oranges and ambers of this commissioned mandala work with the textured clears to help focus the eye on the brown and gold of our gentle bee. Like the bee, we do need to remember that we must be still from time to time. Unlike the bee we must slow down to make that happen. I can think of no better place to do that than Mandala Ridge.
Skully flowers!
Candy corns!
Plant stakes!
I love making these little guys for all different seasons and reasons, but Halloween is probably my favorite.
Add a touch of whimsy to your plants during spooky season! Leave them there year-round as a pleasant reminder of how much fun it is.
Shpooky!!!
“Crystals are nature’s jewelry, each one a unique masterpiece that vibrates with the energy of creation, inspiring us to shine brightly in our own lives.”
-Katrina Raphaell
“Crystals hold the secrets of the earth, their vibrant energy guiding us toward balance, healing, and inner peace.”
-Judy Hall
Two pieces of iridescent, trichroic glass provide a pop of unexpected radiance in this study of crystals. Amber and orange provide a geometric counterpoint to the blades of grass in the background. Straight lines are some of the hardest pieces to pull off in glass, but this came out pretty well. Its companion piece is installed in the window of my studio.
-Brielle
“The pomegranate! How did it come to be here? With its jeweled husk, like a casket of gems.”
-Laura Esquivel
Set in a reclaimed window frame this beautiful piece features the bright, red jewel tones of a ripe pomegranate. The ancient Greeks, among others, saw the pomegranate as a symbol of both death and rebirth – most strikingly in the story of Hades and Persephone. Creative Director, Winston J. Dog, just thinks they’re bright, pretty, and delicious!
“She is above all things universal fecundity and the outer sense of the Word, the repository of all things nurturing and sustaining, and of feeding others.”
-A.E. Waite
“The Empress fills you with the entirety of the world’s beauty if you let her in. She shows you in no uncertain terms, that you are never, ever alone. You are part and parcel of the glistening, pulsating world of energetic and beautific connection. You are her and she is you. She is everything and everything is you.”
-Sasha Graham
At the time, this was easily the most ambitious piece I’d ever tackled. Trying to get the right feeling from a color perspective as well the human form, on top of building into an old wooden window frame, was daunting to say the least.
The other major challenge was in getting the water on the right side of the piece to feel like a river flowing through the trees.
But I do believe she holds up and that illustrator, Pamela Colman Smith, and creator A.E. Waite, would both approve of the execution. It was definitely made with love.
-Brielle
“If you were a hummingbird, you could visit every single flower in a garden, taking only the best from each. It’s a lesson for life; take the sweetness where you find it, but move on swiftly.”
-Elizabeth Gilbert
“Zinnias are the embodiment of joy, their petals unfurling in the sun as if to say, ‘Even in the simplest of places, beauty thrives.'”
-Amy Stewart
“‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers—That perches in the soul—And sings the tune without the words—And never stops—at all.”
-Emily Dickinson
“If you wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.”
-Toni Morrison
Once upon a time I happened to find an injured bird in desperate need of tending.
Hoping simply to ease its suffering before what looked to be certain death, I somehow managed to nurse “Birt” back to health. Birt, Winston, and I spent the next three years together, snacking on Cheetos, watching shows, and generally just hanging out in our cozy little apartment.
This piece is an homage to my sweet little Birt who frequently perched on my head and rode around. Designed entirely of clear glass, the varying textures and iridescence adds to it’s charm. Just like Birt!
-Brielle
“The glories of a mountain campfire are far greater than may be guessed.”
-John Muir
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”
-Henry David Thoreau
Framed in wood and illuminated by multiple backlights, this artwork captures the serene essence of escaping to the mountains or retreating to your own Walden Pond. The warm lighting accentuates the rich, textured browns and ambers of the glass, evoking the deep, mysterious ambiance of a forest filled with endless wonders.
“The home should be the treasure chest of living, the nest of love where hearts are healed and souls are nurtured.”
-Le Corbusier
“There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort, much like a bird finds comfort in its well-built nest.”
-Jane Austen
This beautiful Tiffany-style nest was completed in 2023. Made up of over 350 hand-cut pieces, it hangs with its companion piece, the Robin. Earth tones surround vibrant blue eggs and an unexpected gem, bringing warmth and radiance to its owner’s home.
The Robin is the one
That speechless from her nest
Submits that home and certainty
And sanctity, are best.
-Emily Dickenson
This beautiful Tiffany-style Robin was completed in 2024 as the second part of a commissioned work.
Comprised of over 500 pieces of hand-cut glass, it hangs with its companion piece vibrantly capturing the eastern light with a stunning mixture of radiant colors.
While not strictly falling into the realm of nature, the various Wire Man sculptures explore themes of ambition, unattainable dreams, and the fragility of hope.
Made of champagne cork and wire.
“In the eggshell of our home, we guarded our treasures—memories, laughter, love—knowing the shell’s thin walls could crack, yet still we held fast.”
-Sandra Cisneros
We’ve clearly established a pattern around found objects, especially natural ones, as a major theme in my work. Perhaps no item resonates as profoundly to me as the hundreds of bird eggs I’ve found over the years.
For me, along with nests, they have always been a representation of the fragile yet somehow tremendously strong notion of home.
These have been lacquered and gilded for display in tiny hand-made boxes, each with a different word or phrase dear to my heart.
I love rocks. The rock tumbler I got as a kid I still have today. If we see a rock shop I HAVE TO GO IN. We almost didn’t make it out of Sedona, AZ due to the inordinate number of stores there.
This little piece showcases some truly lovely stones I have both found and polished as well as those unearthed (lol) in one of the many shops I’ve visited.
Despite my love of pretty much all things in nature, I don’t LOVE the beach. Mostly I have an arm’s length relationship with the beach. And maybe I need to review what that means. Hard to say. HOWEVER, Puerto Rico was quite a lovely exception to that for me.
These are all items collected while on a trip for a friend’s wedding, lovingly arranged to showcase their diversity and beauty.
The whole experience made be reconsider my beachy feelings. While I’m still wrestling with those, this feels like progress.