About Jan

Despite receiving her degree in Social Science from CalPoly in 1972, Jan has never been able to lay aside her drive to create and be involved in the arts. Her life long love of the arts has led her down many paths, everything from pottery and painting to her current passion for deep carved glass and airbrushed painting.

In 1995 she became intrigued by thick "float" (ordinary gree) glass. She observed a broken piece of this glass and was captivated by how it reflected light. It's prismatic effects resembled water. "How wonderful it would be to combine that look with aquatic themes, or even better, with water," she thought. Seeking inspiration from The Creator, her quest to create such things began. Before long she had developed a line of fountains and luminaries.

The Process

Jan and her staff begin with 3/4" slabs of glass. They are cut down, chiseled and hammered to create "swirls" along the edges. Literally no two are alike! After chipping, each piece is painstakingly polished and buffed by hand. The next step in the process is to cover the glass with a cinyl material. The design is then transferred, in reverse, and cut out. A wonderful three demensionality results from these steps.

At this point we essentially have an intaglio carving, a bas relief image, when the piece is viewed from the front. Some pieces, such as Winged Victory, are complete at this point. Others undergo a metamorphosis as the airbrush transforms etched glass into vibrant colors. Combining the technique of layering and masking off, rainbows of colors bring dolphin, tropical fish, seahorses, and mermaids to life. The colors are then sealed with a clear UV inhibitor to help maintain their color and protect them. These colors however are not fired on and the use of chemicals directly on them should be avoided.

The final steps in this process consist of gluing the pieces together. An optical adhesive essentially laminates the surfaces together. Virtually nothing short of breaking the glass will separate them! So once again, as with the previous steps, the margin of error is very narrow. That's why each step along the way is carefully monitored, checked and rechecked so we can deliver the highest quality product possible!

Her Clients

Permanent works from Jan's studio pepper residences and commercial complexes in Jan's northern California region of Redding. A mural 10' x 20' depicts a tropical forest in the Northstate Blood Center. Win River Casino's stairway is divided by a 9' x 12' glass panel illustrating their eagle and Mt. Shasta logo. Applebees, the Eastgate Medical Complex, Lakewood Alzheimer's Home, and multi-million dollar homes are other places where her works reside.

Currently over 45 galleries across the U.S. and Hawaii carry her unique glass fountains and luminaries.