Picture Gallery
Changes

Change is something that happens to everyone in one way or another.  This series was created in response to all of the changes that had occurred in our lives.  Within a week we had added two new people to our household:  our son Lochlin and Linda's mother who was very ill. The chorus of a song we had written reflected upon the same thoughts:

Change blows in like the wind,                                  Change washes over you like water,                        Change can bring everything tumbling down,                But it builds you up from within.

The coloration in these pieces changes from one side to the other.  One side has warm variations of pink; the other side the cool blue-greens. 

MARINE GARDENS 

  Our beautiful turquoise blue glass formula and the transparent nature of the glass medium naturally made us want to try to capture an expression of the beauty of the underwater landscape.  Before the piece is blown a small bit of colored glass is picked up on the end of the blow-pipe blown  and formed into a donut.  Then the additional layers of glass and the background patterning are applied and fused on. Threads of colored glasses that represent the eel grass are picked up to give the feeling of the current moving beneath the surface.
 The carefully chosen colors give depth to the underwater vegetation and appear different in either transmitted or reflected light situations.  Then the myriad of seafloor colors are added to ground the imagery.  After the piece is blown out, the initial color stays near the top and the light is transmitted mainly through the center of the piece giving you the feeling of the light being beneath the surface of the water, reflected off the sea bottom and trapped by the warm upper layers.  These pieces are incredibly beautiful in areas where they receive a lot of natural light shining through.  The imagery takes you to a peaceful, tropical paradise beneath the ocean blue
Blossoms 

In this series I tried to capture the essence of blossoms.  The image is abstracted from nature.  As the pattern developed I began thinking about the pointillists.  They were a group of painters who began a new technique of painting after science discovered how the human eye actually perceives color.  The rods and cones in our eyes perceive color differently.  If there is a single color field those particular color receptors become tired and only one set of color receptors is in effect.  As soon as you add a few drops of color receptors is in effect.  As soon as you add a few drops of the opposite color then the former appears more intense and satisfying.  The floral pinks are enhanced by the addition of the various bits of green.  I also enjoyed the play of words:  in glass blowing, a pontil or punty is a solid rod used for the transfer of the blown piece off of the blowpipe. 

Faces
One day as I was looking around our gallery I thought, “I have no images of people…Faces would give a different kind of emotional content…” and I started to wonder if I could bring a human element into my imagery.
   I thought of how the image of the Buddha is very peaceful and radiates peace into its surroundings.  I also thought of how Picasso combined both the side profile and the full frontal image together on the same plane… I like to demonstrate various ways that perception has been enhanced by the artists of the past.
   It is interesting to note that all of my pontil drawing is done upside down and far away.  I did not know if I would be able to draw the image that I saw in my mind, but you never know until you try!  These pieces require intense focus and precision and require several hours to complete.  I do not open the studio to visitors when I am trying to execute these images.  I can not erase the lines.  The sensual surface that I use for the texture of the skin looks very soft and shimmery.  I try to create a personality on both sides of each piece and use the flowing hair to accentuate the features.
    If you have one in your window, the  face radiates both outwardly and in to your home.  I am  trying to communicate a peaceful, easy feeling. I think this is what many of us try to achieve in our home and surroundings.
    This ArtSeries is blown using the beautiful black artglass that I have developed that has the ability to absorb the ultraviolet from the sun.  The features will be highlighted by the increased  vibrational energy.

Linda Westrom
Rhythms Artglass
Rhythmsartglass.ca
Saltair, B.C.,Vancouver Island, Canada