A R T I S T ' S   S T A T E M E N T

It is fascinating to see how a material discovered in Mesopotamian times adapts to the requirements of architecture today.

I design and construct contemporary stained-glass windows and glass art for public buildings and private commissions. Using my thirty years of experience, I apply the key design elements of light, color and dynamic movement in abstraction to site-specific public and private glass art works.

The main focus of my work has been Public Art. I thrive on the challenge of permanently transforming large spaces with beauty that can inspire people during their daily lives.

Collaboration in public commissions is exhilarating work. I listen as people release their ideas, hopes and expectations. The process of collaboration with committees or clients expands and enlightens the development of the artwork. I enjoy synthesizing this information with each commission.

One of the most critically important elements of my design process is standing in silence within the space. Each site speaks, its unique ambient light sparking a vision within me. Taking an idea and creating a reality is why I am an artist. Color and texture, with light coming through glass, ignites everything within me.

The ideas for my art come at any moment. Brightly colored fallen sassafras leaves on a walk, light between window blinds, the wind moving elements of nature in different directions. The world gives an abundance of experiences and most are translated through me in abstraction.

At my disposal is the widest range of color, techniques, and methods for fabricating stained-glass windows. My designs are hand built, whether in my own studio or under my supervision in America and Europe.

 I especially relish the combination of contemporary design with hand-blown stained-glass and traditional lead lines. The beauty of hand-blown glass is unsurpassed in color clarity and visual texture, which creates an ever-changing pattern for the eye, as the light of day and season changes.

Art glass can be designed today using a painterly approach with frit (finely ground colored glass) applied to plate glass and kiln fired for permanence, eliminating the lead lines. My recent work also includes lamination of glass to achieve strength, as well as three-dimensional designs that incorporate large-scale stainless steel or stone sculpture.

I believe I work with one of the most dramatic permanent materials ever available to an artist. The goal for every project I undertake is to achieve a design that creates a feeling of transcendence and illumination for everyone.

812-345-8244 | info@charlotteannpaul.com