3 rivers glass beadmakers

Artist's Bio

A flameworker since 1997, Darlene has studied with national and international master artists, including Milissa Montini, Loren Stump, Beth Williams, Emilio Santini, and Stevi Belle, at the Corning Museum of Glass Studio, the Pittsburgh Glass Center, Touchstone Center for Crafts and Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. Darlene received her informal art education as a child growing up in an artistic family -- her father is professional painter and her brother is a scene designer and art director of theatre, film and opera.

A life-long teacher, she has taught flameworking since 1999 for Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh Glass Center, and the Society for Contemporary Craft as well as in local high schools as an artist-in-residence. In 2005 she became a roster artist for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. A former public school teacher, Darlene has also held the position of Director of Education for Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Sweetwater Center for the Arts and Pittsburgh Opera.

The Jelly Bean Machine, Darlene’s company which has produced handmade glass and jewelry since 1998, is represented at galleries and museum shops nationwide and locally in Pittsburgh at Morgan Contemporary Glass Gallery. In 2006 her work was represented at the prestigious Sculptural Objects Functional Art (SOFA) show in Chicago and in the summer of 2007 at Glass Weekend in Wheaton Village. In the fall of 2001, Darlene received a commission to create glass jewelry for a new opera production of Don Giovanni, which was presented by New York City Opera, Opera Pacific, Pittsburgh Opera and Tulsa Opera in the 2001/02 season. In 2004, Darlene received an Artist Opportunity Grant through ProArts to study with glassmaker Stevi Belle. Publications which contain images of her work include 1000 Glass Beads, published by Lark Books in 2004.

She has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in music from Michigan State University, and has been a choral conductor in schools, churches and community choirs for over twenty-five years, recently retired after six years as Artistic Director and Conductor of the Renaissance City Men’s Choir. Darlene is a member of the Glass Art Society, The International Society of Glass Beadmakers and the Three Rivers Glass Beadmakers. Born and raised in Michigan, she has lived in Pittsburgh since 1989, residing with her husband and daughter on the Northside in the historic Mexican War Street neighborhood.

Artist's Statement

Statement

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