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Meet Erin Murdock, #ArtGlassFinest Spotlight November 2022

Beautiful November has snuck up on us. With the holidays just around the corner, we here at OGT couldn't be more excited. Cuddle up near the fireplace and get ready for this months issue of #ArtGlassFinest. This special lady has a wonderful talent of making late twentieth century animation come to life with glass. (Especially when using our yellow opal ;) ) She also loves to give back to the community and teach one-on-one workshops within her hood. Without further ado, here is Erin Murdock from SnipGlass!

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself: who you are, where you are from, how you got into glass.


My name is Erin Murdock. I was born and raised in High Bridge, New Jersey, a rural and hilly part of the state just 30 minutes from the Pennsylvania border. In 2013 I transferred schools to University of the Arts (in Philadelphia) where I discovered glass. I originally transferred as a Photography major, but there was an enchantment about glass I could not ignore, so I wound up joining the Craft + Materials Studies department as a Glass major. I was fortunate enough to learn the craft of stained glass from Judith Schaechter I graduated in 2016 with a BFA in Craft + Material Studies with a concentration in Glass. I also received a certificate from The Stained Glass School, part of the S.G.A.A. , for my credited hours learning under Judith.

 

 

2. How long have you been working with glass in general?

I began working with glass in 2013. I was trained to blow glass, flamework, coldwork, fuse / slump / cast, construct in the stained glass method, and how to maintain a studio and its equipment. After graduating in 2016 I worked as quality control and jewelry finisher for a glass bead production company. I have also had experience working in a restoration & custom fabrication studio. I started producing stained glass items for purchase around 2016 and became full-time / self-employed in July 2018.

 

3. What is the focus of your work, any inspiration behind it?

The imagery in my work is often inspired by psychedelia and late twentieth century animation. I prefer a bright and saturated palette which works hand in hand with my visual inspiration.

4. How long have you used our products, and do you use them exclusively?

I have been using Oceanside since 2016. I incorporate other glass into my stained glass work, but I do exclusively use Oceanside for ALL of my fusings! We even use Oceanside in the hotshop when I blow glass with my partner, Jordan (@twotimeyellow). The full 96 compatibility across all of the glass being produced means I am able to use my scraps for kiln + blowing work. I try to save and use as much as I can, creating my own frit mixtures and experimenting in the hot shop with the sheet glass scraps.

 

5. Is there anything that makes our product stand out from the rest- a reason why you choose to use it? What do you look for in glass when you are sourcing it for your next project? (ie: color, texture, quality etc.)

I enjoy using Oceanside glass because of the wide range of colors offered.  I am able to almost exactly match whatever palette I am working in. I use a lot of Opals in my animated work (I usually *always* have Yellow Opal on hand) and in my fusings. I am guaranteed seamless results when it comes to cutting and shaping the glass and when working warm. The consistency in colors is always a plus too, as I am not worried if one batch will look different than another.

6. If you are teaching a class, what is it about? What will students learn? (If not a class, are you launching anything?)

I love to teach and at the moment I am offering one-on-one workshops to local folks in the Hampton Roads area. My ultimate goal is to establish a stained glass school (with scholarships, residencies, and more) in the next 10-15 years.

 

 7. Do you have any big projects in the works or coming up? Any works you are particularly proud of?

No big projects at the moment, but opportunities are always on the horizon. I recently did a large residential custom which was my first panel to incorporate stained glass with fused glass elements; I used Oceanside exclusively for the fusings and textured clear background in that panel. I am eager to explore more work like this!

 8. Tell us one fun fact about you or your work.
I love to cook and bake! It is my second favorite creative outlet. I daydream about the baked goods and home cooked meals that will be served at my future stained glass school :)
We wanted to give a big thank you to Erin for being a part of #ArtGlassFinest. The glass world is lucky to have you and we can't wait for the day where you have your very own stained glass school serving up freshly backed cookies :). 
Be sure to check her out on:

Instagram: @snipglass
Facebook: Snipglass
Website: www.snipglass.com

** If you or someone you know would like to be featured by us, please email us at hello@glasstile.com **