Peggy King

An affirmed non-artist, I “found” glass at the age of 50. After working for decades as an office manager and then energy analyst, it was a complete surprise when the right side of my brain kicked in. I am unable to explain why, on a whim, I signed up for a lampworking class. Melting that glass over a torch to create a bead was pure magic. But I became frustrated when I didn’t seem to have the ability to make the bead look like I wanted. So, I went back and took a class on fusing. Melting glass became an immediate passion and I bought my first kiln that very same day. I am for the most part a self-taught fuser, but with a number of workshops or classes added on specific topics.

Early in my glass journey I learned that the skills I used in an earlier flirtation with patchwork quilting transferred directly to my glass work. I have become known for my ability to effectively combine color, texture and pattern in my artwork. I have worked extensively with dichroic glass and even make my own hand pulled murinni. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with making little elements for my glass fusing by utilizing colorful glass powder slurries poured into silicone molds. The glass is left to dry then fired to create whatever I want; animals, trees, baked goods (not edible!), flowers. The list is only restrained by my imagination.  There are so many options and other forms of glass available to glassworkers today.

Following where my passion for glass took me, and with some gentle encouragement by a dear lady, I joined The Best of Missouri Hands (BOMH) and found a place for myself among the remarkable, accepting people there. Through my association with BOMH, I have been taken in, accepted and encouraged by my fellow artists, and been able to contribute to their journey even as they contribute to mine.