Wildlight Glassworks
Colleen Newcomb tried working in many different mediums before she found her absolute passion in glass work. Born and raised in Kentucky, Colleen spends her days creating beautiful and colorful glass art pieces in an unassuming studio space in Lexington. Every design is an original, drawn out before executed, and you can easily see her love for music and the natural world come through in each piece.
What drew you to glass work?
I was in a sad place in my life and I felt like I had a lot to offer but I wasn’t sure how. I was considering giving up on trying to be a working artist and trying a new medium (glass) was grasping at one last straw. I liked how I saw some artists using it in a modern way and I thought it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try. It didn’t take long for the excitement to take over and it just snowballed from there. I love glass as a medium, the variety of it, the depth of it and the warmth of it.
Is there anything you wish you had known when you first got started?
I wish I knew my worth. I think a lot of artists struggle with this, especially starting out. It’s hard to price your work and say “I am worth this!” It took me a while to really feel that.
Describe your favorite part of the process.
I would have to say my favorite part is glass cutting. I love it because it gives me that first glimpse at what the pieces look like together.
What do you wish your customers knew about the uniqueness of your product?
I draw the designs for all of my pieces and I put a lot of thought into my glass selections. There are about 10 steps in the process of making a piece so even the smallest pieces are made with a lot of care.
What’s your most FAQ?
“Do you make customs?” The answer is yes. :-)
How do you avoid burn out?
I don’t take as much time off as I should so I wouldn’t say I avoid getting burnt out. Honestly when I’m on a roll I just want to keep my momentum going and I’ve come up with some of my best designs when I’m overdoing it and exhausted. I take a break when I finally run myself into the ground. Usually that means spending some time in nature.
Do you have a favorite tool?
Probably my cutting tools and my soldering iron.
What’s your favorite piece that you’ve made?
This is such a tough question because I love every piece I make! I guess if I had to narrow it down I would say my nature pieces because there is something about nature that touches my soul in a way that words can’t express. When I see one of my nature pieces in the sun and it gives me that same feeling I know I’ve done it justice.
Is there any advise another artist has given you that helped?
I think some of my favorite pieces of advice actually come from Grateful Dead lyrics. The most meaningful to me are “Sometimes the cards ain’t worth a dime if you don’t lay them down” and “Without love in the dream it will never come true”.
If you didn’t do this, what do you imagine you’d be doing?
I was lost before I started stained glass and I honestly feel I found my calling. I don’t imagine ever not doing it now.
