Merrilee Harrigan – A Very Very Fine House

Description

My mission is to bring joy and meaning through the creation of glass art and jewelry. My inspiration starts with the forms of the natural world – circles, arcs, spirals and more — transferred to glass and precious metals. Glass is a endlessly versatile medium, and I take great joy in pushing the envelope, experimenting, and coming up with unique, beautiful glass art. My glass art (mostly wall art) takes two primary forms. The first uses layers of patterns and colors in a high-temperature process that creates a three-dimensional wall piece with a depth of beauty you can lose yourself in. The other style incorporates silver into certain types of clear glass that transform into tones of gold, bronze and turquoise. I love that I can infuse the silver scraps and filings from my silverwork into glass to create unique glass art. My jewelry generally starts with the glass. I make a beautiful piece of glass, using layers of brilliant dichroic patterns, gold foil, and earthy “silvitrum” colors made by fusing silver into glass. I then ponder what kind of silver settings it wants, combining glass with the elegance, shine and textures of silver and gold. I especially enjoy designing pieces with creative elements such as tubes that carry the chain through the piece. I use Argentium Sterling silver in my jewelry, which has a higher silver content (.940), is tarnish resistant, and hypo-allergic. I use only recycled precious metals. Making art doesn’t take place in isolation, but rather with the neighbors, customers and businesses who make up my community. After a career promoting and teaching renewable energy and energy efficiency, I was chagrined that I use four electricity-using kilns – so I covered all my available roof space with solar panels. Missing my environmental education work, I started teaching glass workshops. To support our friends in Ukraine, I made glass flag pendants and earrings as a fundraiser for the World Central Kitchen’s work in Ukraine. We are stronger together, and those connections also bring me joy.