Check Out this GREAT Etsy Artist Stacey Reed

Stacey Reed of JS GLASS ART
was kind enough to grant me an interview.
Make sure you check out her store (see the link to her store)


How many years have you been an artist? Maybe in the last five years, or so, I’ve considered myself good enough to be called an artist.

How many years have you worked with glass? 9 years. Like many people doing kiln work, my first introduction to glasswork was through stained glass. I started doing kiln work within two months of learning stained glass.

What triggers ideas for new projects? My brain thinks more mechanically than artistically. If I see something interesting in some other medium I’ll automatically start thinking of how I can create it in glass. I enjoy the manipulation of glass more than making sure it’s artistically pleasing.

When do ideas come to you? How often? Most of my ideas come to me while I’m working with the glass. A lot of the time the piece I’m working on will come out differently than what I originally intended because of a new idea popping into my head. I’ll also get a great idea just as I’m falling asleep, unfortunately, I won’t remember it when I wake up.

What percentage of the day do you think about or work on your art? Depending on the season. In the summer it’s common for me to get in the studio first thing in the morning and work until dark. In the winter I usually wait for it to warm up a bit before going out. It can get pretty cold in there.

Do you create daily? No. I do need to take time off. Usually it’s just a day here and there, but sometimes I need a whole week. If I’m working on a technique, or trying to figure out a problem, I can get a bit obsessive about it and will need the time off to regenerate.

How important is it for you to create art? Very important. I’ve always felt the need to create. A physical need. My hands get restless if I go too long without creating something.

Do you feel that choosing the artist’s life has been a sacrifice? Have you given up certain luxuries? No. I’ve been lucky in that I have the resources to be able to work on glass full time.

Describe your studio. My studio is in my garage. A very small garage. I’ve done well in utilizing my space, but I still need something larger. I’m forced to work out of a smaller kiln and it’s very frustrating since I learned to work large. I have a large kiln I can’t even use.

Tell me something about you. I live in Northern California/Silicon Valley. I have a 25 year old son who recently married. I’ve been with my SO for over 15 years. My dream is to live on a property large enough to plant enough food to be self sustaining, and I would need a huge studio on this property. Solar powered, of course. It seems the older I get the more my inner hippie surfaces and I’m fine with that.