Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Mary Lou Anderson and started doing stained glass windows a long time ago. I soon learned that glass shards and young children don’t fit together well, so put it on hold until they were grown. Trying fused glass followed, and I was hooked — “Addicted to glass. Better than drugs. Almost as good as chocolate — almost.” I have several kilns in my over-sized garage that I now call a “studio” along with many sheets of beautiful glass, dozens of jars of frit (small chunks of glass, in sizes from pea-gravel to sand to powder), pieces of dichroic glass (coated with metals in a vacuum kiln and shines like nothing else on Earth!), and tools to create table and wall art, bowls, plates, and jewelry.
Why do you do what you do?
Working with glass is fascinating — its history, its technology, its requirement to remain focused on the task. Many people take glass for granted, but glass makes so many things possible in modern life. “It’s just glass” is a common comment from many who do not consider the consequences of not having it. Glass is important to communication (fiber optics), vision (eye glasses), science and medicine (from space travel to microscopes and telescopes, computers, and cell phones), windows (retaining warmth and coolness inside our homes while letting in light and allowing us to see outside). The list would go on for pages and pages.
What themes do you pursue?
I was raised in Northern California, redwood country, and nature inspires me. I use it in many of my functional pieces and art displays. Often I get whimsical and mentally travel across the seas. Sometimes I stick bowls, plates, and jewelry, then I just have to try something different to create a new item that’s just pretty and would look wonderful in someone’s home.
Describe a real life situation that inspired you.
My sister and I visited the Oregon coast years ago. One of the shops had a beautiful glass starfish that seemed to mysteriously glow from the inside. Weeks later I had a dream where I walked into a large room filled with vendors selling their creations. Several tables were covered with beautiful pieces of fused glass. Soon after that, I took my first workshop and was addicted.
What jobs have you done other than being an artist?
Besides being a parent to three great kids, I was a teacher and worked with elementary school children for a couple of years. I taught adult education and junior college Business and English classes for twelve years then moved to the Sacramento area and continued teaching adults until retiring. (Ahhh, retirement!)
What are your hobbies?
Besides working on glass, I also write books and have published several (available from Amazon — pen name: M. L. Edson.) Suspense-thrillers are my favorite genre, but I also write poetry and short stories. I’m currently working Hot Glass Murder, combining two of my loves (suspense and glass, not murder and glass!). Being with my three fantastic, intelligent, cute, fun grandchildren is how I would like to spend more time if it weren’t for this blasted pandemic.
