Gather 'round crafties and craft lovers. It's time for an interview with yet another fantabulous Etsy artist! Today's interview is with Sue Fragiacomo of FragiacomoGlassArt on Etsy! Sue is also known as glassymom. Grab your morning java or herbal tea and get ready for a glassy good time.
Q. Welcome Sue! Please share with us how you made the leap from busy Mom to creator of beautiful glass items and Etsy business woman.
A. Working with hot glass is something I’ve always wanted to do since I was a little girl. My grandfather would bring me to Florida on school vacations to Disney where I would watch the glass artists making their sculptures. I would stare in awe, same way I still get watching them! At 41, I was actually able to do it myself after searching on the internet and finding a site called Wet Canvas. I read on there about making glass beads with a torch and about buying a kit. My husband and I had not had a vacation alone together in 24 years married so we decided to go to Las Vegas, which just happened to be the same time as the big glass show there! After quite a while, my husband kept seeing me give away beads or stick them in jars, he convinced me to try and sell some. I started on JustBeads and then opened my Etsy shop, Fragiacomoglassart, which my husband also named since I was stumped on a name. Things took right off from there! I have done Alchemy and other custom orders and I try to keep my shop full at all times.
Q. Sue, I noticed right away that your glass creations are beautiful and functional. How do you balance or edit the two and who or what inspires you the most during your creative process?
A. I try to think of what others would use my beads and sculptures for and I try to make sure they are wearable even if they were to wind up in a display. Color is what most inspires me. I love color, bright colors all together! I have favorite combos and I love to see them together, like red with spring green or orange with turquoise. The moment I sit at my torch and look at all the colors lying there on my work space I get inspired, they look so beautiful. More color the better!!
Q. You’re such a busy woman. How do you find time to create, run a business, blog tweet and still enjoy your family life?
A. I’m a stay at home mom. I don’t have to go to another job. I have pretty much always been a stay at home mom and I love being home with the kids. We have 3 at home now ages 9months, 7 years and 16 years. We have 2 grown, 25 and 22 and our first grandbaby that just turned 6 weeks. My husband works a job that is 3-4 days a week, long hours and over the weekend, but it enables me to get a lot of time at the torch without having to rely on the 16 yo to watch the younger ones. My computer is in our family room so I can be with the kids, list a couple items, tweet a bit, update my facebook page and fan page, update my blog and I’m right here with them. When I do work on the torch I usually make a lot giving me listings for several days.
Q. We would all like to know what’s next for you and your beautiful glasswork. Do you have any hopes for your creative future or any other information you’d like to share with us?
A. I have been slowly trying to incorporate my glasswork into jewelry that I’ve metalsmithed myself. Just like learning the glass, its taking me time to learn the metal but its getting there. I’ve also been approached by a local gallery which is very exciting to me, an I hope to get some glass work in there soon. I’m so very thankful to be able to do something I absolutly love, something that gives me the creative freedom to do what I’m feeling the need to do.
Margaret, thank you SO much for noticing my work, for asking for an interview and for being so nice! I was excited to get the convo from you and I have enjoyed being interviewed by you!!
You're so welcome, Sue. I enjoy your work and know that you bring inspiration and joy to all those who visit your sites. Thank you for taking time out to share your thoughts with us.
Find Sue and her work at the following links...
Sue's new blog, come check it out!
http://www.glassymom.blogspot.com/
Justbeads Auctions!
http://www.justbeads.com/search/ql.cfm?s=glassymom
Etsy Store
http://www.fragiacomoglassart.etsy.com
Visit me at Artfire!!
http://www.glassymom.artfire.com
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