Ben Booth

Artist Statement – Ben Booth – Bennie Jay-Fused Glass Art & Jewelry

Glass art has become a passion for me as a medium that often thrills the artist and observer. Modern production techniques of art glass bring an incredible palette to bear. Iridescent finishes catch and transform light into colors here-to-fore undreamed of. Ambient light fires up sparkle like precious gems and that explode with change by the angle of view, and as the light changes so does the artwork. Amazing!

 I often observe the beauties of nature and see a potential work of art. The textures of nature are an inspiration. Reflections of a river’s moving water, though seemingly unchanging, are never twice exactly the same. This is what I love about glass art, that, as the light and angle of view are never exactly the same, so is the detailed inspection of the work is never identical.

Glass is lasting. Pieces of glass art from the 1st century are still providing their own lustre today be it only barely muted with time. Art defines civilizations and glass art is one of the most lasting when appreciated and cherished with care, it may last for millennia.

My work often emphasizes the translucent and refractive qualities of art glass, choosing mostly transparent iridescent options and always clear accents that treat light as the facets of precious gems. I love dichroic glass that, as the name implies, consists of two colors that are only observed purely one at time at a fixed angle – change the angle – change the color. Somewhere in the middle, for the briefest moment, the transformation is most brillient. I love textures of on-edge glass cut to varied angles acting as magnifiers of ambient light.

This incredible medium of art glass has given me a new motivation in life, an incentive to look deeper, observe more closely and appreciate with greater wonder. As an artist in glass, I have learned to more fully cherish the other arts, knowing often our only lasting token left to the world will be our artistic contribution. My ovations rise more quickly, my applause sounds more loudly and my tears of joy and appreciation flow more easily.