The Process

The process of making art is never the same twice, unless I am making what I call production work (work that is not one of a kind, but rather work that identically repeats itself). I feel great pride in building something original whether it is with paint, glass, wood, paper, or other mediums. For me, the process is art. For it is the process, that calls the final product known as art, into being. The battery of decisions to be made and discoveries that arise while working are my tools to expand my vision and imagination.

The cake begins with Styrofoam cut to size and shape. The Styrofoam is covered with gauze and plaster. A water tight barrier is added. The design is drawn on if I am using one. Glass is cut and filed to fit the shapes. It is like putting together a big puzzle, only I have to fit the pieces in and make them. When the piece is finished, the adhesive must cure. Sometimes this takes twenty-four hours, sometimes longer. The next steps are grouting, cleaning, and polishing. If a piece has many intricate bits, I use sharp dental tools to pick the grout away and thin utensils covered with cotton to polish difficult to reach places.