Shawn describes her work as Impressionistic; inspired by flowers, gardens and landscapes and washed with splashes of vibrant color on a 3-dimensional canvas of glass. Each piece is individually designed and handblown, using colored glass powders & chips to produce a painterly effect. Flower embellishments are created with millifiori cane and Shawn pulls and creates herself.
Transparent veils of color, seemingly frozen in motion, float through her paperweights, while bowls and plates of undulating glass echo the graceful simplicity of forms in nature. Her pieces are alive with a fluidity of motion, each expertly crafted and produced, to achieve a unique expression of the artist herself.
Shawn Messenger holds a BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art, and has furthered her study in glass at The Pilchuck Glass Center and The Toledo Museum of Art. Since 1979, Shawn has exhibited her award winning pieces at national shows and competitions, including those held at the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Toledo Museum of Art. Her work can be found in private collections throughout the United States, Japan, France and Germany.
By the Bay Gallery has proudly featured the art glass of Shawn Messenger in our collection of museum quality art glass since 1995.