I was born in Paris, where the romantic idea of bohemian artistic lifestyle is bound with the way of life. From a grandfather glassblower, a grandmother lace maker and a father photographer, I have inherited the love of working with my hands. As I grew up, I loved to draw, paint, knit and sew outfits for my teddy bear.
As a teenager, I wanted to be an artist. But my mother did not see it this way. You must know that my Dad was my hero. I was 7 when he passed away in an accident and my mother raised me by herself. She had a strong influence on me and everything had to be done her way. So, when she decided that the best for me would be to embrace a career in technology, I had not much of a choice. This is how after getting a Mathematics and IT diploma from Paris University, I started working as a designer for a mainframe computers manufacturer.
Years later, while visiting friends in the South of France, I met a Navy sailor whose ship was anchored in the bay of Nice. We stayed in touch and travelled back and forth between France and US to see each other. Needless to say that my mother was not thrilled…
More than a year later, my boyfriend flew to Paris with the intention of asking me to marry him. Exactly one week before his arrival, my mother died in her sleep. The Universe was setting me free!
In 1998, we got married and I left everything behind to follow him to the United States. At the time, I just took a leap of faith and had no clue that I was going to realize my childhood dream. After living in different places, we settled down in Phoenix, Arizona.
And this is when I stumbled upon a store in my neighborhood who was proposing classes in stained glass. From the hours spent playing with the paperweights made by my grand father, I had kept a fascinating attraction with the colors and the softness of glass. And I had always admired the effects of the light going through the stained glass windows of Notre Dame and the Sainte Chapelle. Therefore, I thought it would be fun to learn.
What started as a new hobby became very fast a new passion. After exploring several aspects of glass working, I found myself passionate with the kiln-formed glass process.
A simple comment from a friend visiting our house triggered my memory. It all came back to me. My old dream of becoming an artist that was buried deep down in me since so many years, came back to the surface.
At the same time, I also realized that the true meaning of the saying “America, land of opportunity” is that there is no excuse for not achieving your dreams. Leaving behind a successful career in computer technology was not easy. But moving away from home and from my friends to live in a new country, speak a new language and integrate into a new culture was even more difficult. And doing well with it made me aware of my potential to achieve anything I wanted. It gave me the courage and the confidence to take a new plunge. With the full support of my husband, I decided (for myself this time) that not only I was going to be an artist, but I was going to be a professional artist!
At the same time I was perfecting my glass techniques and designs, I was also learning about the business aspect of owning and running an art studio. And in 2000, with the determination of a true Taurus who is not afraid to work hard to reach their goals, I officially opened O’Neill Glass Art.
After doing all the possible mistakes and learning from each one of them, I know today that awards and recognitions are not the motivation that drives me. It is the need to strive to be the best I can be, to find my voice and to let it heard by all who will listen through their eyes.
A bientôt!
Patricia
© 2009 – Unleash the Spirit of Glass!
