Feature Artist Janice James Eubank
Website: TheJaniceArt.Com (I do not sell directly from my website but I can be contacted from there for duplications or commissions). I have social media pages but none for selling my art.
I'm an award winning artist and lifetime resident of Birmingham AL. I have been married to my husband, Bill , a Saint, for 35 years. I like to say that I was a Child Bride. We have three rowdy little dogs: “Rockstar”, a Schnauzer—“Bonjovi” —A Westie, and “Cash” —a King Chas Cavalier.
After 35 years in the corporate world I “retired” and began to fulfill a life’s ambition in visual arts. I work with fused glass, pottery, mosaics, and metal wall sculptures. In addition, I make jewelry, paints with various mediums, and make candles and soaps.
Why fused glass? I often say that “glass is a cruel mistress”…..Although I work with several mediums of art and have an appreciation for all, there is a light that comes from fusing glass that draws me to it. Almost hypnotic. Yes, I guess I’m a glass freak. She’s a tough one, though, fused glass is. The final product is a reflection but does not begin to show the steps involved in fusing glass that you would see in the strokes of a painting. Nor the cuts-both human and organic--or the accuracy needed in firing and design. The process is so challenging, then you hand over control to the kiln, not knowing exactly what might happen in there, and in the end, you can still break it and have to start all over.
I have been fortunate to sell in several galleries and am currently at Tricia’s Treasure in Homewood AL. I recently just won first place at Comer Museum in Sylacauga AL in Mixed Media June 2022. Best thing about fused glass is that it is recyclable and resilient. It has a limit, but it can be fired several times.
How did I learn about glass? I borrowed a very small kiln from a neighbor—I have no idea what that thing was supposed to do--- and started putting glass in it and firing it up. I didn’t know the difference between bottle, fused and stained glass was, I just put it in there on fiber paper or fire bricks and turned it on. I sold a whole show of melted glass “things” glued to mirrors!!! (Thank goodness for faithful friends.) Then I realized that I needed to get more serious about my love for glass, and that the majority of people, like me, have no idea about Fusible Glass. They know Blown Glass and Stained Glass. So most of my shows, I am trying to get people to understand that they are not pieces of glass glued together.
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