Creativity and learning has always had been part of my life.  I became interested in ceramics, took the courses, bought the equipment, and then I saw the glass...I mean the light in the glass.  Stained glass was the first love-hate relationship with the huge field of "GLASS".  Then I took a couple of fusing classes with Robert Leatherbarrow in Calgary .....the addiction started.  Nothing really happened with kiln-formed glass for me for a couple of years.  Afraid to program the controller on my converted ceramic kiln and the expense for setting up yet another aspect of my art progression allowed me to procrastinate.  If you know me at all, procrastination is NOT on of my traits!!

AND then something wonderful and inspiring happened to me.....I met Patty Gray at a Warm Glass Conference in Corning , New York AND I bought a glass kiln at the same conference .  No workshops were taken there but just talking and listening to all the wonderful "glass people" sent me over the top, and I am over the top.  So jumping in with both feet was not unfamiliar to me.  My next HUGE kick in the butt was actually taking a 5 day workshop with Patty Gray and Rebecca Bergsma in Monroe , Washington on Fused Glass Sinks.  Holy kamoly.....sink....sink...well that was not JUST what we created.  The learning curve for me was humungous.  Not only did me make a beautiful sink to take home but we did glass combing, pulling came in a glory hole, tiles, pattern bars....oh the list goes on.  Becky and Patty have become awesome friends and I have met so many people through them that have inspired and pushed me to do more, go larger, and of course BUY more equipment.

SO....now my studio encompasses my basement and my garage (poor Snottie, my husband and great support, got kicked out of the garage), 9 kilns (one being 3ft X 5ft), a huge selection of glass and other materials, 3 potters wheels, slab roller, extruder, 24" lap wheel, wet belt sander, and way too many molds.  I am slowly weaning my way out of the oil industry....into the glass and it has been a total immersion.

Now I rent my studio out to anyone that is inspired and has a vision about something wonderful to look at in the light.  I run workshops, have groups in to do 3 hour "STUFF", and rent my kilns out to other artists.  I hope to meet some of you some day and please feel free to drop into the studio if you are in the area.....I guarantee you too will be inspired if you have any inkling of like/love/addition to glass.

AMANDA'S MOTTO:  GO BIG OR GO HOME!!!