The Professional Artists of St. Augustine (PAStA) Fine Art Gallery, of 214 Charlotte St., St. Augustine, is proud to introduce the varied and unique glass work of artist Rose Hawley.
Although, during her childhood, Hawley found the stained-glass windows of the churches and cathedrals of Europe fascinating, glass was not her first artistic venture. As a clay artist, she developed a clay that would withstand repeated freezes and thaws, without cracking or breaking. Using her new resilient clay, she created sculpture and pottery for gardens in the northern clime.
As fate would have it, she was approached and asked if she would melt wine bottles in her kilns. Not to let the opportunity to learn something new pass her by, Hawley ended up slumping over 200,000 wine bottles into hanging cheeseboards, which sold nationwide.
With her new interest in glass, she traveled regularly to Bullseye Glass Factory in Portland, Oregon, for a top-rated glass education. Hawley has traveled extensively throughout North America and Europe, visiting and collaborating with experimental glass artists and has since incorporated lead crystal and glow-in-the-dark glass to her body of work.
Like many artists during the COVID years, Hawley moved to be closer to family in the St. Augustine area. Working in a smaller and temporary capacity led her to explore the nuance of glass surface decoration, which can be seen in her highly detailed crusty little seashells, and other items.
Currently, Hawley is working on four bodies of work, of which three are experimental and one includes a 3,000-year-old Chinese technique.
See her work by at pastagalleryart.com or facebook.com/pastaartgalleryFacebook.
