Meet Patti
Growing up in upstate New York near Lake Champlain, I’ve always had a great appreciation for the colors and patterns of nature. Although I spent over 50 years in the world of science, first as a registered nurse and then as a certified registered nurse anesthetist, I have always enjoyed taking forays into creative activities such as painting, hat making, ceramic doll making, gourd carving and most recently fused glass art. In 2015, my husband and I retired, sold our home and became full time RVer’s, exploring all areas of the United States for five years. We immensely enjoyed our travel time from May through October. We spent winters in an RV community in Casa Grande, AZ. The community supported art studios where residents could pursue all kinds of interests. I spent my time in the glass studio and got hooked on fused glass.
We were there for three winters and each year I spent more and more time in the glass studio learning as much as I could about the art of fused glass. I spent our travel time researching glass studios that offered courses and would create trip itineraries to those places so that I could pursue my fused glass passion. In 2020, I decided I really wanted to have my own kiln and studio. Since we could not accommodate one in our RV, we decided to end our adventures on the road and purchase a house. We settled down in Jacksonville, FL in June 2020 to be close to family.
Since then, we have converted the two-car garage into my art studio. I love being able to pursue my fused glass passion full time and any time. I often spend the whole day in the studio creating and then after dinner I rest for a while, but my mind is still running a million miles an hour as I think about colors, designs and kiln programing. I am always learning something new and I love it.
Bee and Thistle Glass Art is a work in progress. I envision it as a place for me to share my creations but also as a place where we can share, communicate and learn from each other. As with any artist, my work is influenced by my life experiences. I have lived in New York, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan and Alaska. I have traveled extensively within the United States as well as to several different countries. I am sure you will see those experiences reflected throughout my pieces and collections. If you have an idea of something you would like to have created in glass for yourself, please contact me and we will put our heads together to make it.