Another Woodland Park Mountain Arts Festival is in the books! I want to send a huge thank you to everyone who stopped by my booth over the weekend. I loved seeing familiar faces, meeting new people, visiting with former students, and talking with so many people who enjoy handmade art. Whether you purchased a piece of my fused glass, stopped to chat, or simply came in to look around, thank you for taking the time to visit me and support my small business. It truly means so much to me.
My booth was packed with fused glass—from jewelry, pendants, hearts, crosses, and those adorable little paw prints to larger pieces of glass art. I really do love glass, and one of my favorite parts of an art show is getting the chance to talk about it! I enjoy explaining how my pieces are made, the different types of glass and techniques I use, and how something that starts as individual pieces of glass eventually becomes the finished piece you see in my booth. I especially love when someone asks, “How did you make that?” because that’s when I get to share a little bit of the fascinating process behind fused glass. ❤️
One of the very best parts of the Woodland Park show was seeing so many familiar faces. I had former students stop by, customers who have purchased my glass before, and people who told me they follow my newsletter and enjoy seeing what I’ve been creating. I can’t tell you how much that means to me! I love making and selling fused glass, but the friendships and connections I’ve made through my little glass business are every bit as special. Whether you purchased something, stopped by to see what was new, or simply came in to say hello, thank you! I appreciate every one of you.
There was one young man who especially made my weekend. He came into my booth with three friends and patiently looked through every drawer of glass. His friends all purchased something, but he didn’t. Then, just before the show closed, he came back! He went to one of my special pendant boxes and chose one of my absolute favorites. I loved that particular pendant because it was created using glass chemistry—combining silver, copper-bearing, and sulfur-bearing glasses to create beautiful reactions—and I had made both sides beautiful, so it was almost like getting two pendants in one! When I asked why he hadn’t bought something earlier with his friends, he told me he wanted to look around first, but I had his favorite pendants. Well, that did it—I couldn’t help myself. I gave him a hug and asked if I could take his picture with his new pendant! Just look at that smile. ❤️ I absolutely love seeing young people appreciate and purchase handmade art. He wasn’t the only young person who bought my glass that weekend, but he and that special pendant are a Woodland Park memory I won’t soon forget.
Whenever I participate in an art show, I make a point of purchasing something from my fellow artists. I believe strongly in supporting local artists and small creative businesses, and for me, that means practicing what I preach. I am incredibly grateful when someone chooses to spend their money on a piece of my fused glass, and I want to give that same support to the talented artists around me. The Woodland Park show was certainly no exception! I purchased several beautiful cards featuring the artists’ original artwork—aren’t they gorgeous? I love that something as simple as a card can make a wonderful little piece of art accessible to almost anyone.
I also found an artist who had taken her beautiful artwork beyond the original paintings and reproduced it on coasters and little zippered bags. LOVE them! It’s such a clever way to bring art into things we use every day. And finally, I couldn’t resist the wonderful candle holder made from wood featuring a bear—I mean, really, there was a bear involved, so we all know I didn’t stand much of a chance. 😂 For me, art isn’t just decoration. Art is an important part of enjoying life. It brings beauty into our homes, sparks memories, makes us smile, and connects us to the person who created it. Every time we purchase something directly from an artist, we’re not only bringing home something special—we’re helping that artist continue to create. ❤️
As I packed up my booth at the end of the weekend, I couldn’t help but feel grateful. Art brings people together. It connects the person who creates it with the person who sees something in it that makes them stop, smile, and sometimes take it home. This weekend I had the opportunity to share my fused glass, reconnect with former students and customers, meet wonderful new people, watch young people get excited about handmade art, and support some incredibly talented fellow artists. Thank you to everyone who stopped by, purchased a piece, shared a story, asked about my glass, or simply said hello. Your support means more to this small-business artist than you probably realize. Until next time, Woodland Park—thank you for another wonderful weekend filled with art, friendship, creativity, and a whole lot of beautiful Colorado scenery! ❤️
If you would like to see more of my fused glass work, please refer to my website Elegant Fused Glass by Karen. If you get a chance, check out all my site and my Elegant Fused Glass by Karen YouTube. If you would like to stay abreast of what I’m up-to and learn a little more about jewelry, check out our newsletter. It is published the last day of each month.
Keeping my kiln warm.
Karen
