I have always felt the need to create. Whether I was drawing, painting, sculpting with metal or clay, the creative urge has been second nature to me since childhood. But nothing has inspired me more creatively than working with glass.
For me, fused glass is a medium that provides an inexhaustible source of creative possibilities through the combination of colors, textures and techniques. The translucent nature of glass acts as a host for an infinite palette of colors. Glass also possesses a truly magical characteristic – it is iridescent. Every day light-play can enhance a finished piece simply by adding an ethereal, glistening beauty that is not seen in other mediums.
My designs are inspired by patterns and colors and objects that I see around me every day. Playfulness and whimsy are always a subtext in my work whether I make jewelry, decorative dishes or personalized clocks. The process I use is primarily additive: I fuse layer upon layer or piece-to-piece of selected material in order to create a unique and fun work of art.
— Ann Mackiernan, AM Glass
Ann lives in the Portland, Oregon area with her husband “Mac.” She is largely a self-taught artist having dabbled in various mediums through the years including painting, raku pottery and silver-smithing, all of which have influenced the way she works with glass in her studio. She has also studied extensively with several renowned fused glass artists through the years to enhance her fused glass skills.