Meet Andy Bellomo of Street Glass Productions

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andy Bellomo.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I fell in love with glass as a child, studying the oversized stained glass windows in churches around Boston. Stained glass didn’t make its way back to me as a medium, or have true meaning for my art making, until the last 5-7 years or so. I have been teaching art to teens for over 15 years, and in 2008 I moved to Chicago determined to make my career as an artist. The graffiti and public art scenes here inspired me, and I began to study and work with some of the most talented mural and visual artists in Chicago.

It took me a while to find my true style and a medium that I felt comfortable enough to commit to. Glass became that medium and the meaning seemed to become unveiled to me as I began to work with it, study it, and appreciate it. A few years ago, while living in Chicago and working as an artist, two things happened that seemed to spiritually and serendipitously intertwine with each other. The first was that I became obsessed with learning how to cut and use glass in my artwork, and the second was that I made the decision to come out to all my friends and family.

As a teen and throughout my adult life, I’ve felt calmed and at home sitting in the presence of stained glass windows. Every time I look at a stained-glass window in a church, the most incredible sensation of excitement and ease comes over me.  The colors, shapes, glass, and the art form literally take my breath away. But these are the same windows fixed inside of churches that haven’t provided the most safe, secure and loving environment for the LGBTQ community. As I slowly came out to the people around me, I began to take the glass out of the church and build my own spiritual “windows” all around me.

Sharing this work with as many members of the gay community as possible, creating commissions for the larger public, I try to create the essence of the church through my work for people who might not go to church anymore. I’ve since created dozens and dozens of glassworks and made working with stained glass my ultimate career goal. In Chicago, I’ve found a true home and family in the LGBTQ community and have been thriving as an artist and as a person with their support ever since.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’m laughing right now because if you know me then you have at least once said to me, “Andy, slow doooowwwwnnn.” My partner has said this a million times. I tend to work extremely hard and into exhaustion. I think the biggest struggle is over the last few years I have been dealing with numerous health issues and an awful spine disorder that causes chronic pain.

I’ve been unable to work many times and have had to turn away projects. It’s been a challenge to figure out how to be fully successful while dealing with so many health issues. But I do feel like this has forced me to slow down and pause and re-evaluate my personal and professional goals.

One important thing that I’ve found is that my community and relationships have become the most important thing to me, and the more supported I feel by my community, the better my art is. The challenges still happen, but I’m extremely grateful for the constant support I get and that I can give back to those around me.

Street Glass Productions – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I own a company called Street Glass Productions. My focus is creating both commissioned glass artworks and large-scale public murals. I work in glass, acrylic paint, sculpture, and sometimes spray paint. I’ve been working on public murals for 10 years in Chicago, and my focus on glass has really sharpened over the last few years. I have a lot more to learn about the medium, as it’s a difficult material to master. But I’m determined to continue to create a style that’s innovative and non-traditional.

My work is set apart from traditional stained glass and the traditional mosaic style because I create glass works that are more like large abstract paintings that can be hung on walls. My cuts are flowing, organic and energetic. I experiment with bright grouts and iridescent glass, focusing on original composition and line work for each piece. I find that creating pieces that can hang on walls is more affordable for those who can’t afford or have space for actual stained glass windows.

I also don’t cut the glass into tiny pieces like a traditional mosaic; I create works that use larger pieces with more character as pieces of glass on their own. Each piece I put into a work has been very carefully chosen.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I honestly feel my proudest moment was when I received the letter stating that Street Glass Productions was a legit company. I was finally a business owner and could see an entire future that I could build my own vision. It was freeing to know I would be responsible for creating a life of art for myself. Financially, it’s not always easy, but I wouldn’t trade it for any job in the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.andybartworks.com
• Instagram: @andybmix
• Facebook: Andy B Artworks

Image Credit:
Chinyere Nwosu

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