Janine began working with watercolors years ago to capture the colors around her. From watercolors, she experimented with metalworking and glass beads before beginning glass fusing with Michael. Michael has been involved in stained glass for over 30 years. During this time he created a glass backgammon set, kaleidoscopes as well as numerous panels and sculptures. The glass fusion technique that they use combines watercolor shading and transparency with the exacting fit of stained glass.
Janine begins with a drawing of her idea and from this works with pieces of glass and watercolor pencils to determine the colors and shading. After the design and colors have been selected, patterns are made for cutting the glass. Transparent glass is primarily used with some accent pieces of opaque glass. The transparency allows the light to enhance the final work. Often, individual pieces of glass are hand painted with ground glass enamels that Michael makes from remnants of the cut glass panels. Genuine 24 kt gold or pure palladium leaf is included where a gold or silver appearance is required. A new technique that they have been pursuing involves creating open webs of glass through the placement and fusion of small pieces of colored glass.
Their current works focus on nature and the human figure, exploring themes of mythology, awareness and ties to the natural world surrounding us. "We create images that reflect on the beauty found in nature. The details in a stone or flower can become worlds of their own. By focusing on these perceptions and our personal ties with nature, we are able to combine these elements into our unique artistic style."
Working out of their studio in Elizabeth, Colorado, their art has been displayed in a number of galleries and exhibitions in the Denver metro and Colorado Springs areas. They won First Place prizes and an Honorable Mention for kiln-formed glass at the Glass at the Gardens shows in 1999 and 2000.
