Susan Cannon with her piece titled “Illumination” that won the People’s Choice Award, The Gallery at Flat Rock, Art in Bloom, 2022

Susan Cannon

I express my love and enchantment of the Blue Ridge Mountains and wildlife using a material that has fascinated me for over twenty years…. glass. Kiln-formed glass allows me to work in layers, adding color, marks and depth with each layer and firing. I play with the addition of abstract elements made with glass powders, glass enamels, and silver foil.

For me, mountains evoke feelings of peace, serenity, awe, melancholy, and joy. I use various glass materials and brilliant or subtle colors in my images in an attempt to capture these changing moods.

Another of my favorite creations is the image of our mountains’ black bears. Glass is cut in the shape of a bear to which I add silhouettes of the mountains. Others called Land and Sky Bears, are made with a technique called Sgraffito. I scratch through dried enamel paint without a template to complete a design suggesting the earth and the sky above.

I also like to create abstract designs for functional use or wall art. I will decide on the shape and color for my final results. Often I use iridized or dichroic glass, silver foil and glass enamels. I like to play with shapes within shapes, lines and marks and added elements. Most often, a piece will evolve as I move things around without a complete plan. The pieces of glass tell me where they want to go and what is the most pleasing arrangement. It’s a lot like piecing together my creative life…..everything emerges on its own and within its own timing. I just have to be present and pay attention.