“I never understood when people would say, ‘you’ll know it when you see it’ but now, I do.”
For Norma Geddes, her foray into glass art began unexpectedly during a kitchen renovation. After a reluctant trip to select glass for her cabinets, she stumbled upon a flyer for stained glass classes and decided to sign up. “Within 3 months I converted my garage into a studio, continued to take classes, and started a business. So pay attention to those little notices!”
For Norma, there is no limit to her designs or glass art forms – from stained glass, to fused glass, and lampwork beads. “I can’t imagine ever running out of ideas! You use so many types of tools creating this work, and the inspiration is endless.” This dedication to her glass art is evident in every aspect of her life, as she jokes saying “my daughter asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I told her I wanted a drill press and she said, ‘I don’t know any other mom that wants a tool for a gift.’”
Ideas and inspiration for Norma’s glass works often take many forms. From art galleries, fashion, and architecture to nature, and even cooking. “Anywhere there are color palettes I find inspiration. I dream patterns in my head and will wake up and jot something down.” Ideas like her Zen Gardens and Keepsake Boxes, which originated during the pandemic while thinking about mindfulness. “The textures, and the sand, create a wonderful patina in my Zen Gardens, and then I added the rakes.” Norma even bought a rock tumbler to add polished rocks to each garden.
Between these smaller pieces, and larger commission work, Norma spends most days in her studio and says “it has not lost its calling.” Years later into her craft Norma believes, like Joseph Campbell, that “if you follow your bliss, doors will open for you that wouldn't have opened for anyone else.”