Foxes Glassworks, Respite from an Ugly World!
Hello! I am Cheryle , the owner and artist of Foxes Glassworks, and I’m a glassaholic! My obsession started 3 years ago. I am mostly self-taught and continue to learn constantly and try new techniques. One of the things I like best about working with glass is the multitude of possibilities; I have so many more ideas than I do time to make them!
I started with glass as a distraction from my grief after my Mom died. I not only found a measure of peace, but my happy place! The hours literally fly by in my studio. I love the attention to detail glass demands, its "personality", the contradiction between its strength and longevity vs its fragility, the myriad choices of colors and textures - how they can completely change the feel of a piece, and ultimately the satisfaction of making. I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so rest assured my glass pieces are made to last and are personally guaranteed against structural failure or defect in workmanship for life (to be clear - my lifetime :)
All of my pieces are made of actual stained glass, so the color won’t peel or fade and they can be displayed in direct sunlight, or even outside (I've recently started experimenting with alcohol inks in some of my small decorations, this will be noted in both the listing and in the care instructions included with the piece). Each piece of glass is hand-cut and ground to shape, then foiled and built into panels and decorations in the Tiffany method of stained glass. This method creates a very strong piece, with an incredibly long lifespan. It is currently estimated glass itself takes approximately 1 million years to decompose in the environment*, and the oldest known surviving stained glass is over 1,000 years old!** If not broken by fall or accident, it is not unrealistic to expect these items could be handed down for generations. I have an affinity for geometric and abstract panels, as well as hanging and 3-D decorations. I can't bring myself to do the typical 70's landscape pieces, but I am otherwise open to ideas for custom pieces. I hope to find the time to explore leaded panels and large stakes for the garden soon.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for taking a look at my shop. I hope you find that certain something you didn't know you just can't live without!
Custom orders are always welcome. If you can explain it, I'll give it a shot :)
I recycle and use US-made materials whenever possible. Crystals used are typically foreign made, and glass is now hard to confidently source due to previously American made lines now being manufactured outside the US.
A Note About the Name - I'm not grammatically challenged, the plural form of Fox in the shop name is intentional. Since it was my Mom's death that inadvertently got me started in stained glass, and my parents posthumous gift that enabled me to stock my studio, I consider them my partners still - silent now, but partners nonetheless. Always.
Links to learn more:
*http://education.seattlepi.com/long-glass-bottle-degrade-landfill-5235.html
**http://www.deansstainedglass.com/history_of_stained_glass.htm
