For the past couple years I have partnered with friend and glass artist Cindy Duvall creating one of a kind glass and metal sculptures. Images of my art is printed on metal and then we design layers of fused glass to compliment the artwork. We call ourselves HOTflash Designs and our website, hotflashdesigns.biz, can be viewed by clicking here. Recently we began taking commissions using treasured family photos and yesterday a surprise unveiling of these occurred on the Fourth of July that was extra special. But first a little background:
Nestled in the waters of Puget Sound in Washington state there is a glorious island called Whidbey and the beach where this takes place is along Mutiny Bay. My family and several others have been part of a small condo community on Mutiny since the early 1980's. People flock here in the summer, sharing the beach, the pool and the small town atmosphere that creates lasting friendships and bonds. The third generation is now coming of age. For 3 families in particular the children have grown close through their yearly rituals of building driftwood forts, laughing around beach fires, decorating 4th of July t-shirts, setting off fireworks and many games of Marco Polo in the pool.
To get an idea of how special this place is for us I created a video in 2014 of the 4th of July
Last Fall Corey, a college age boy and ringleader of this troupe died tragically. It resonated strongly within this summer beach community and created a hole in the fabric of these childhood rituals. Yet the people here are quality folk and came together in valiant support. The mother of the kids who were especially close with Corey approached me about creating 3 pieces for 3 families. She had collected driftwood, beach glass and pebbles from the beach to incorporate. A photo taken of them proudly wearing their 4th of July t-shirts on the beach next to the grand driftwood fort they built that year was to be the centerpiece of the design.
On the Fourth of July the families gathered on the beach and presented the finished glass artwork. I'm so grateful to be given the opportunity to memorialize these precious memories in such a unique way!!
