Deborah Carlson
The Reason The lack of funding for music and art curriculums in the school system, has forced many programs to drastically scale back, or shut down altogether. Although music and art are the basis for communication skills, reading, writing, math, and the sciences, most educational programs have forgotten this fact, choosing instead to concentrate on homogenizing the future. By doing this, we are raising multi-generations of children with little imagination or free thinking skills. There is a rhythm to living and an art to self-expression. Music heals; art feels.
THE DESIRE I would like this musical instrument to express the need to move the arts and music back into our lives and especially the lives of our children. Glass is a perfect medium to use, for it is strong and supportive, yet fragile when mistreated. It is transparent to its causes, allowing the viewer to see through problems to solutions. It plays with light; the very essence of our existence. While breaking the original viola apart, I found, hidden between two glued pieces of the neck, the signature of the person who made this viola. I was told this signing of a piece meant for a school child, is a rarity, for it is not allowed by the manufacturing company. So, I carefully removed this hidden, beautiful signature, bringing it back to the light. It now sits proudly on the back together with my signature; a joined effort.
THE PROCESS This viola was first broken into pieces; much like the school programs have been broken or destroyed. Then, to “put the music back”, the remaining pieces of the viola were copper leafed for strength and copper wired for rarity. Loose chunks of glass were then cast (melted) together and hot sculpted to bridge gaps in the viola thus making it whole. The viola was stuffed with music sheets, thus putting the music back where it belongs. The piece, during this journey, was put together, ripped apart, and put back together at least four times to make sure the music and art were returned correctly with strength and dignity. This viola sits on a stand of cast glass; the essence of the Earth, thus grounding and returning the music back to its original state.
Deborah Carlson is a Colorado based glass artist whose works and commissions can be located in permanent collections, national museums, galleries (both glass and fine art), private residences and public installations. Her unique fabrications have won numerous awards in both major national fine glass and fine art shows. Her art glass education includes studying under the world’s best glass masters from the USA, Italy, and Canada. Deborah has maintained her own studio since 1984, creating both gallery and architectural work in all techniques of glass. She is also a regular featured writer, has her work shown, and articles written about her in selected glass magazines, newspapers, and art center publications across the country. Deborah has served as president of the Glass Artists Fellowship, Chair of the Glass at the Gardens Glass Art Show at the Denver Botanic Gardens in Denver, CO, and the Fifth Annual Colorado Artists Guild-Artists of Colorado Fine Art Show in Denver, CO. She is a member of the International Society of Glass Beadmakers, the Glass Artists Fellowship, the American Craft Council, and the Glass Art Society. www.deborahcarlson.com.
