EGA Featured Member: Shoozles

March 5th, 2007 by Shoozles

Michelle is a fused glass artist from the Midwest. Visit her Etsy store at http://shoozles.etsy.com

When did you first become interested in glass?

I was a graphic designer for eight years, then I had triplets and did freelance for another four years after my kiddos were born (yes I worked with triplets). In between all of that, I always made some form of jewelry. I have a total of 17 years of jewelry making experience, the latter seven years of which was fusing. Jewelry, and the money I made from it, saved my life more than once, so I always came back to it. Glass was just my next step after ten years of playing with shrink plastic, friendly plastic, polymer clay, beads…you name it. I so wanted to do lampwork beads because I am addicted to beads. Much to my surprise, my little chronic pain problem wouldn’t allow me to be at a torch for very long. So, fusing was next. I fell in love with it—pure destiny I tell ya! It was a gift every time I opened that kiln. It gave me a reason to wake up every morning. I would fire that little hot box three times a day. Yes, that meant I didn’t sleep. I haven’t stopped folks.

What do you like best about what you do?

I get to work in my pajamas! This is my fulltime job. There is nothing better than making a living off what you love. I also love discovering new things I can do with the glass, but working in my PJ’s is top on the list!

Is there a pattern in the way you select materials? In the way you use color, texture or light?

No, I just go for it. If I like it I use it. I will tell you, I have a huge catalog of glass and the way glass behaves all stored in my tiny little mind. I use every kind of glass, paint and frit related material known to the glass world. If I can fuse it, I use it.

What inspires you? How are your inspirations expressed in your work?

My biggest inspiration and motivation is the response I get from my customers. I am a response junkie. I listen to people talk about what they like, and I look at what they wear. How people respond to what I make just feeds my creative flame. This is also very hard for me because when the selling season gets hectic I can’t work like I want. Then there is the slow season, and since I need the response, you see how can I get stuck sometimes.

How much time is spent creating your pieces?

I do have this down to a science almost. Since this is my full time job, I make it my goal to make 50 to 60 pieces a week at least. I get my coffee in the morning and come down to start work. I work from 8 am to 10 or 11 at night, so when I say full time job, I ain’t kidd’n! This is with four small kilns and lots of room to play and talk to my kids when they get home from school and cooking supper. Notice I didn’t say “clean my house” because that kills the creativity for me LOL!

What are your techniques and style and how do these relate to the medium?

It has been said to me many times from my local customers, “Michelle, you do so many different styles, that is why we always come back because we never know what will be in your box of goodies.” So I never pin myself down to just one style or technique or my target audience gets board. Now if you ask me my favorite style, it would be my magic mistake pendants. It is the surprise that keeps me doing them!

What do you find most challenging about your work in the glass arts?

After seven years of fusing ORIGINALITY, finding a technique and style that no one can or will copy is the biggest challenge. Integrity is also a biggie! Ya know just because you can do someone’s technique doesn’t mean you should—at least not within the same venue. So the question should really read… “What do I find most challenging about working in the glass arts?”

How did you find Etsy? What do you like most about it?

I get the winter blues, and last March I was browsing for glass related anything when I read where this gal just hated that fused glass artists always use dichroic glass and wished they would do some thing else. So I set out to show her that I was a fuser that made stuff without dichroic glass, but I had to use flickr to upload photos. That is where I found this wonderful world of creative people, and there was Etsy. I never left flickr because I am a response junkie as I told ya. I like Etsy mostly because people know they are in an art community, and we are more likely to get what we are worth. That is a fantastic feeling after four and a half years of selling on ebay.

Comments

3 Comments so far

aekeith on March 5, 2007 10:56 am
wonderful interview! WoW Triplets! Amazing

The above comments says “You freakin’ rock!”
especially this piece:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=5306306
Shoozles on March 5, 2007 12:19 pm
Amy you ROCK too Girl!
Hey what is they goobly-gook post above you?

Thanks girl friend
mattskiss99 on March 8, 2007 5:13 pm
I loved reading this interview~

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EGA Featured Member: Shoozles

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