Featured Artist: Kathie Wise, St. Helens Oregon
My name is Kathie Wise, I live in St. Helens, OR. I’ve been making glass on glass mosaics since 2016.
I specialize in backgrounds, using many different cuts, sometimes combining more than one or two. I have occasionally taught classes. The substrate used is small enough so that the entire gluing part of the mosaic is completed in one day. I then grout each piece on another day.
Kathy Wise
I’ve always been fascinated that some artists can draw people that looked like people, others can paint a seascape that actually looks like you are there. I’ve tried my hand at drawing but have never able to achieve the results I was looking for. Thinking I had no talent, I gave up the notion and quit looking for an outlet. Then I met Kory Dollar and that all changed.
In April of 2016, my husband, Dave, was creating greenhouses out of wood-framed windows. He entered one such greenhouse into the annual St. Helens Home & Garden Show, and sold it too. Meanwhile, Kory Dollar, was in the same event, selling her glass on glass mosaics. At the time, she was using wood-framed windows as substrates for her mosaics. She and Dave met, admired each other’s talent, and soon started talking about a partnership. I met Kory that weekend. As the two of them ironed things out, Kory suggested I come over to her shop for a private class in GOG.
Since I was in denial of having any talent, it took me a month or so before I took her up on the offer. When I did, she had me choose a picture out of a coloring book of what was to be my first mosaic. It was a red cardinal on a branch. She taped that picture to the back of the glass. I learned the rudimentary stages of cutting glass, gluing each piece of colored glass to the front side of glass, following the lines of the picture. Kory helped me a lot. Between the two of us, we got it finished, but it took a few days. By the time I grouted it I was so impressed that I was hooked and I’ve never looked back.
Years ago, when Kory was becoming known as a teacher in glass on glass mosaics, she would travel to many different counties to teach others how to create their own mosaics. In the early days, she wasn’t always able to fill them with students. That’s when I would ride along with her and be one of her students. Later, Kory was invited to teach mosaics in different states, including Texas, California, Washington, and Nevada and I went with her.
I became Kory’s assistant a few years ago and have probably been involved in over 100 workshops, learning something new in each class. I believe I get the most joy out of helping others find that “aha moment. I also teach students to grout on the final day of each workshops.
So now, 9 years later, I’ve just completed my 99th mosaic. They are all different sizes, of all different things, from trees to flowers, mermaids, Big Foot, Christmas Ships, Hot Air Balloons, rainbows, birds of all kinds, cats, butterflies, a mountain scene, under sea gardens, bicycles, a fire breathing dragon, an angel, even the Eye of Ra! It’s all so fun. Some are 3-D, using two frames with a section of wood separating the two pieces of glass. Many of my mosaics are from vintage glass blocks that come in different sizes. Dave drilled holes in them to create a place to install fairy lights, which in turn creates night lights. Even after all this time of being immersed in GOG, I still find working on the larger mosaics the most challenging. Primarily it’s because they take so much time, AND they are much harder to sell because they cost so much more. It would be different if I was working on a commission, where I have an agreement with the buyer for a certain amount of money.
I joined the PNW Glass Guild with the expectations of selling my art through the Guild-sponsored events. I also wanted to meet other glass artists who specialize in different forms of glass art. I’ve never held a position on the Glass Guild Board and have no interest in pursuing any. I am having way too much fun just creating my mosaics.