DOWN THE PATH -- Scroll down to view more of Barb's work...
Artist Name: Barb Beckman
Town: Dundee, IL
Medium: Art Glass
As a former architect, Barb is a unique combination of science and artistry. She brings to her art the measured precision of an engineer and the thoughtful observation of a fine artist.
Barb’s luminous art glass shimmers with effervescent brilliance. Through trial and error, she has learned exactly what types of materials to use that increase luminosity and project extra depth and sparkle. It’s the “secret sauce” that truly differentiates her art glass from the work of others.
Barb’s award-winning glass designs have come a long way since taking her first class in 1989 to make a simple stained glass suncatcher. At that time, she was immediately drawn to the material finding it be the perfect medium to express herself through its highly reflective properties and color vibrancy. Since then, she has taken many more classes investing in tools and materials that now include computerized kilns for her home studio.
ARTIST INSIGHTS: “There’s much patience and science to this art – it can’t be rushed. There’s no peeking inside the kiln or SNAP! You’ve created thermal shock and your piece is ruined. The molecules must move in unison. It takes three days to fire most pieces and they must cool in the kiln before removal. Maintaining a good firing schedule is what makes a piece really work. Because of repeated firings, my work has great depth and dimension. With each firing, I add layers of both clear glass and colored crushed glass frits. The final firing usually completes at a slightly lower temperature so that the final layer of frits creates a textured surface.”
Her favorite subject is definitely trees. Her work captures their full-blown beauty in every season, along with other natural landscape elements such as the sky, moon, stars, and even waterfalls.
ARTIST INSPIRATION: “I love trees! They play well with the reflective properties of my art glass. I believe trees are sentient beings. In many cultures, they are a testament to persistence, patience and resilience. They symbolize life and rebirth. Think of how peaceful you feel when walking along a forest trail. There’s so much we can learn from them…they go with the flow, move with the wind, are not stressed. By creating work that exudes these qualities, it encourages reflection, mindfulness and gratitude.”
Barb often frames her pieces in shadow boxes for visual depth. These measure about 5-inches or 10-inches square. Larger scale pieces might measure up to 20-inches. Roughly 20 percent of the work she produces is by custom order. Pre-COVID, she participated in about 7 art fairs annually throughout Chicagoland and is represented by several galleries. Prices range from $62.00 for a mini art glass piece with a stand to a framed 20“ by 26” piece at $1,500 or more.
Email Barb at: barb@barbbeckmanartglass.com
To learn more about her and find out where her art glass is sold, visit her website at: http://barbbeckmanartglass.com
Scroll down for samples of her work…
Cottonwoods of Santa Fe
Golden Fields of Wheat
Four Seasons
Moonlit Pines
