Randy Kennard

From a small age, the fascination of color and texture has always interested me. Artistic pieces of any medium have grabbed my attention. About 15 years ago a friend asked me to attend a fusion glar workshop with her. From there I started creating small items that leveraged my professional skills of working with small pieces in micro-electronics. I crafted unique glass pieces starting with jewelry. As my skills progressed, I took the risk to create larger pieces. To create the best glass pictures possible, I started taking painting and drawing classes to hone my skills. It has enabled me to have an artist's eye. It has enabled me to develop skill with watercolor, acrylic, pastels, and just lately, oils. Many times, I will paint a picture and then once I have tested my vision, I will create a glass version of the painting.

Since those early days, the glass has taken hold of my spirit and I envision works of art at every turn. I had no idea then that working with glass would become my passion. My interest has been to create not just predictable items, but to create items with appeal, balance and uniqueness.

I have grown in my understanding of how the glass stacks and melts. Creating with assorted colors, textures and dichroic glass lead to more imaginative pieces in my kiln. Each time I open my kiln it is another surprise. You never fully know how the heat and dynamics are going to reshape the glass, how the glass will dance.