Art & Life with Laura Johnson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Johnson.

Laura, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I first became interested in the art of glassblowing during a high school field trip to the Sofa show in Chicago. Then when entering college at the University of Illinois I planned on working towards a bachelor’s degree in glassblowing. However shortly after arriving, I was notified that the glassblowing program was being phased out and they were not accepting new students. I ended up learning the art from another glassblower Todd Manicke who has a studio in Farmer City, IL. I continued my lessons with him throughout my 4 years in college and opened up my own studio in my hometown of Ottawa, IL less than a month after graduating. I have been at my own studio Starved Rock Hot Glass since June 2009. I have a gallery that showcases my unique glass art, and a studio where I offer glassblowing classes from the beginner to the more advanced. Owning an art studio has always been a dream of mine from a very young age and I consider myself extremely fortunate to do what I love everyday!

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I make hand blown glass art including vases, lighting, holiday items, jewelry, etc… Every piece is one-of-a-kind as no two pieces are ever the same. Working with molten glass is a completely unique experience because there is nothing else like it. The glass starts at 2100 degrees and is hand blown and shaped into anything I desire. Because the glass is liquid its constantly in motion on the end of my steel pipes and has to be continually rotated to keep it on center. Glassblowing is very physically demanding and requires a lot skill and strength which is why it takes so many years to master. But the possibilities are endless and that’s one of the things I love most about glass. I draw a lot of my inspiration from nature. I am an avid hiker at the 3 state parks we have here in Starved Rock country and it really inspires my shape and color choices. I have recently been working a lot with mixed media and trying to incorporate other materials in with glass such as driftwood or copper. Another one of my specialties is Cremation Glass, where I fuse the crematory ashes of your loved ones into a memorial keepsake. This is the biggest part of my business and keeps me extremely busy. It is also very gratifying to help people heal during their most difficult times.

In your view, what is the biggest issue artists have to deal with?
I think the biggest challenge facing artist today is having the confidence that you can make a living doing what you love. The stigma of the “struggling artist” can really deter people from fully committing into the life of an artist. Still after almost 10 years in business I get the occasionally question of, “Well this is your hobby, so what’s your real job?” Because people have the notion that there’s no way I can possibly make a living being a full time artist. So one of my main objectives is to prove to people that you can make a good living as an artist and the demand for fine art is there. You just have to take risks and put yourself out there to get others to appreciate what you do! I’m so passionate about inspiring others, that I do a talk and demonstration with the high school senior art class every year to encourage them to continue in the field of art because it is possible to have a successful career as an artist and with a little drive and determination anyone can do it!

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
You can find my work on display in my gallery adjacent to my studio at Starved Rock Hot Glass, 700 West Main St. in Ottawa, IL. I also have a website and Facebook page where I can take custom orders and even ship to you! I occasionally display at various juried art fairs like the upcoming Omni Prize for the Arts in downtown Ottawa Sept 7-9. My studio and gallery are open to the public regular hours Tues-Sat and I offer tours and demonstrations by appointment at no charge!

Contact Info:

• Address: Starved Rock Hot Glass
  700 W Main St.
  Ottawa, IL 61350
• Website: www.starvedrockhotglass.com
• Phone: 8153135445
• Email: laura@starvedrockhotglass.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/starvedrockhotglass
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/starvedrockhotglass

Image Credit:
Laura Johnson

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