I am pleased to introduce you to ...
Christine Hanses of CHRIS1.
You can visit her wonderful shop here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=47617
How many years have you been an artist?
I would have to say that I still don’t consider myself an “artist”. However I have been doing only glasswork for 7 yrs now.
How many years have you worked with glass?
I have been working with glass for 29 yrs now, in stained glass and lampworking and fused glass also I love to do hot glass (blown glass) and I even went through a stepping stone era when I was doing Landscaping.
What triggers ideas for new projects?
Just about anything that I see. I like flowers so they play a big part...but I see beauty all around me so I keep my mind open. When I make an item I sometimes put it up till I can think of how to use it.
When do ideas come to you?
I get ideas all the time.... but my best pieces are usually made from mistakes. I have tried writing/drawing in a booklet that I take with me but am not real good at doing that. How often?
Some times daily or several times a day then sometimes I go for weeks without any ideas.
What percentage of the day do you think about or work on your art?
50% of the time~ then some days more and then other days less so I guess it averages out to about 50% of the day. Even when I am away from home I am still thinking about it.
Do you create daily?
I try to but I also do a lot of traveling so when I am home I am always creating something. When away I am wishing I had my small kiln with me to work with.
How important is it for you to create art?
That's something that I have been wrestling with lately. It is very important to me to be creating with my glass. My husband is going to be retiring in the next several yrs. And we will be moving out of state so downsizing may be something that I need to do. So I have been trying to figure out if the next part of my life will be including my glass obsession. I have to be honest with myself ~that I truly can’t see myself living without all my glass and supplies.
Do you feel that choosing the artist’s life has been a sacrifice?
Have you given up certain luxuries?
I’m sure if I was younger and just starting out it would be difficult but I have not had to sacrifice anything. Since I was working when I was first starting out I was able to get a lot of equipment and things then. The best part is that now that I am retired I have the best of both worlds. I have all the luxuries I want with no sacrificing.
Describe your studio.
Right now my studio is in the basement. I have about half the basement so it is not a small studio but as studios go the more you have the more you want. I have enough room for the equipment that I use now, but I still want that sand blaster etc…. lol…. we know there is so much more equipment to have….
Tell me something about you.
I worked 18 yrs. at the School For the Blind in Michigan, with deaf blind students mostly. While working full time with the help of my truly wonderful, supportive husband, I attended our local community college and got my degree in Horticulture. I sold well over 900 stained glass pieces to my co- workers at this time also. We raised our son together during that time. It was a very busy time of my life. Now our son is 29 and lives out of state and has his own life so I can get back to my art. For several yrs., I designed other people’s gardens and landscaping. Then I injured myself and glasswork became my life work. That’s when I was able to get my studio set up and really go after my art. I love taking classes and attending all the glass conferences that I can.
What triggers ideas for new projects?
Just about anything that I see. I like flowers so they play a big part...but I see beauty all around me so I keep my mind open. When I make an item I sometimes put it up till I can think of how to use it.
When do ideas come to you?
I get ideas all the time.... but my best pieces are usually made from mistakes. I have tried writing/drawing in a booklet that I take with me but am not real good at doing that. How often?
Some times daily or several times a day then sometimes I go for weeks without any ideas.
What percentage of the day do you think about or work on your art?
50% of the time~ then some days more and then other days less so I guess it averages out to about 50% of the day. Even when I am away from home I am still thinking about it.
Do you create daily?
I try to but I also do a lot of traveling so when I am home I am always creating something. When away I am wishing I had my small kiln with me to work with.
How important is it for you to create art?
That's something that I have been wrestling with lately. It is very important to me to be creating with my glass. My husband is going to be retiring in the next several yrs. And we will be moving out of state so downsizing may be something that I need to do. So I have been trying to figure out if the next part of my life will be including my glass obsession. I have to be honest with myself ~that I truly can’t see myself living without all my glass and supplies.
Do you feel that choosing the artist’s life has been a sacrifice?
Have you given up certain luxuries?
I’m sure if I was younger and just starting out it would be difficult but I have not had to sacrifice anything. Since I was working when I was first starting out I was able to get a lot of equipment and things then. The best part is that now that I am retired I have the best of both worlds. I have all the luxuries I want with no sacrificing.
Describe your studio.
Right now my studio is in the basement. I have about half the basement so it is not a small studio but as studios go the more you have the more you want. I have enough room for the equipment that I use now, but I still want that sand blaster etc…. lol…. we know there is so much more equipment to have….
Tell me something about you.
I worked 18 yrs. at the School For the Blind in Michigan, with deaf blind students mostly. While working full time with the help of my truly wonderful, supportive husband, I attended our local community college and got my degree in Horticulture. I sold well over 900 stained glass pieces to my co- workers at this time also. We raised our son together during that time. It was a very busy time of my life. Now our son is 29 and lives out of state and has his own life so I can get back to my art. For several yrs., I designed other people’s gardens and landscaping. Then I injured myself and glasswork became my life work. That’s when I was able to get my studio set up and really go after my art. I love taking classes and attending all the glass conferences that I can.
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5 comments:
I love this article! I am lucky enough to own several pieces of Chris' work, and it was fun to read more about her. I was already aware of her talent, but had no idea about her very interesting background!! :-)
terrific interview! Very nice to hear more about you, Chris.
Great interview. Informative and inspiring. I wish you the best in this next phase of your life! Keep up the wonderful work.
I have some of Chris's works. Great artist. Nice article!
Wonderful feature article!! Chris's work is fabulous!!
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