Thanks to Barbara for answering some interview questions so as our fans may become better acquainted!

OOOH:  What craft do you primarily work in?  What sets your work apart from other artists?

BS:  I primarily work in stained glass done in the copper foil technique, “Tiffany Style.”  I often incorporate beads into my designs to give them added dimension.  I have been working in stained glass now for twelve years.

OOOH:  How long have you been working with glass?  What was your first inspiration to begin?

BS:  My interest in the glass medium began many years ago after a visit to the Corning Museum of Glass, and my desire to learn how to make stained glass was DEFINITE after a tour of  the Frank Lloyd Wright home, Fallingwater.  After my youngest child was born, I signed on for a basics course at Lehigh County Community College.  This was the perfect “Mom’s Night Out” for me, I enjoyed it so much that I have continued to make stained glass ever since.  I started experimenting with making jewelry out of the glass scraps simply so I could use them up.  I didn’t want to discard any of the beautiful art glass scraps.  It was very challenging working with the tiny pieces of glass, and working with lead-free solder was much more difficult than I had anticipated.

OOOH:  What continues to inspire your work?

BS:  Coming up with new design ideas and making them work is what keeps me inspired.   I get very excited and motivated when I hear a customer say “I just love that piece I bought,” or ”I always get so many compliments when I wear the necklace you made!”

OOOH:  Within our store, your work ranges from small pins and ornaments to large glass panels.  What work are you most proud of?

BS:  What I am always most proud of seems to be the piece I have just finished at the time.  Right now I have completed a new abstract and earthy panel that is my favorite of the moment.  Mastering the jewelry done in stained glass has been challenging for me and holds my interest as the jewelry fashions change constantly.  I am always happiest when working on a new design, whether it is jewelry or stained glass.

OOOH:  Where do you normally find your glass supplies and equipment?

BS:  Most of my stained glass supplies are purchased at Warner Glass in Allentown, and I am always keeping my eyes open for unusual pieces of vintage glass to incorporate into my work.  I often travel to New York to do some bead shopping and keep up with current fashion trends.

OOOH:  Craft shows are another outlet for your work, and you are often participating in shows around the area.  What are your most successful venues?

BS:  I participate in several shows each year.  My favorite is the Hoboken Arts & Music Festival because it was my very first breakthrough show.  My favorite fall show is the Rockaway Beach Arts & Music Festival where I have many repeat customers there and it is fun to see them each year.  My favorite local show is the Bethlehem Fine Arts show that is held every Mother’s Day weekend.

OOOH:  Do you have any plans for future work?  What would you like to accomplish?

BS:  My future goals are to always progress by creating new designs and improving my skills.  I would like to broaden my business by finding more retail outlets for my work, and  teaching others the craft.

OOOH:  What would be your best advice for someone interested in working with stained glass?  Where should a beginner start?

BS:  My best advice for beginners is to find out the basics of stained glass making before paying for a class and buying all the tools on the list.  Many people I went to class with found it was just not for them after a several hundred dollar investment! If you are already sure it is for you, then a community college course would be an excellent place to start.  You can also find classes at glass shops & art schools.

OOOH:  What sort of quilting do you primarily work in?

LM:  I mostly enjoy geometric-type piecing, and in using triangles and squares that when combined, build a whole picture not seen in only one single block. I am working with a piecing method called Foundation Piecing. This is a technique that allows you to have finer, sharper points and intersections between fabrics. You actually sew upside down, using a printed grid instead of lining up the fabrics against each other.

OOOH:  What do you think sets your work apart from other fabric artists?

LM:  I believe every fabric artist has tried quilting of some sort – I just like the challenge of color combination, and adding embellishment (such as old buttons) to compliment the piece.

OOOH:  How long have you worked with quilting?

LM:  Do I have to admit this? When my children were pre-school, we lived in Lancaster County – almost 25 years ago I made my first wall hanging, and still have it over my piano. It reminds me of how “green” I was, using scraps from clothes I had made for my daughters. Looking at this piece also reminds me of how far I have come with my skills, and encourages me to create unabashed!

OOOH:  Who or what inspired your first quilt, and what continues to inspire you?

LM:  My first whole bed quilt (a queen size log cabin that I hand quilted) was inspired by the Amish quilts I would see when I drove through southern Lancaster County during the day. They were hanging high, airing in the wind, and they just called out to me – you can do this, too!

OOOH:  In our gallery, your work ranges from smaller ornamental creations to large scale wall hangings.  What interesting items have you created in the past?

LM:  I have been asked to do many custom pieces – some successful, and some not so much. It is difficult to envision another person’s thoughts in abstract. One success was for the mother of distant cousin who wanted a wall hanging in a lofted foyer. The pattern she chose was out of my comfort zone, and I was nervous when I brought it to her. She loved it, and that gave me added confidence. It is nice to know something you do pleases others.

OOOH:  Where do you normally find your supplies?  Do you have a favorite supplier?

LM:  I like to shop the fabric department of Good’s Store in Quarryville, PA, and at Shady Maple near Morgantown, PA. My favorite online supplier is Keepsake Quilting in Centre Harbour, NH – where I visited with my family one summer. I was in heaven!

OOOH:  Do you have any new plans for future designs?  What would you like to eventually accomplish?

LM:  I am working on two miniature projects, one a log cabin star, and hope to have them framed and in your shop this season.

OOOH:  What would be your best advice for someone interested in working with fabric?

LM:  Go for it! Nothing ventured, nothing gained! Fabric is an ever changing medium, and there is always something new and exciting out there to sample. You will always have to rip out some seams, re-do some of it, and form a love-hate relationship with it, but in the end, there is great personal satisfaction and solice in basic acts of creativity. When your friends ask why you buy large pieces of fabric, cut them up into smaller pieces and sew them back together again – smile and say “You would not love me any other way!”