EKRA | Emily Kircher Recycling Artist
Broken Glass
Posted at 06:55 PM on January 20, 2013

Cobalt Blue Frame

 

I love the color blue.  Especially this shade of blue.  When I was in high school, I had a blue marble that was this shade of blue that I used to hold up and look through.  To gaze through that blue glass was so calming.  I went to a restaurant once where they had blue glasses, and don’t tell anyone, but I snuck one out to have as my own (yeah, I know, that’s a way around saying I stole it.) Then I started noticing that some wine came in blue bottles.  I was crocheting rugs as a hobby, and also taking some craft classes at the Craft Shop in the student union at UW-Madison, while I was avoiding working on my Environmental Toxicology PhD.  I was interested in ceramics and took a few wheel throwing classes, but once I noticed these blue glass bottles, I knew I really wanted to craft with them somehow.  I signed up for a glass fusing class, thinking I could use this recycled blue glass.  But in the first class, we learned about coefficients of expansion (COE) and glass compatibility and basically that I wasn’t going to be able to do what I wanted which was use recycled glass.  Turns out they lost my registration anyways, so I never actually paid for the class, and I took my idea and went home.  Later, I signed up for a mosaic class, and I was hooked.  I was able to break my blue bottles and glue the glass on stuff! Recycling the glass and showcasing its beauty.  It was wonderful.

So, that’s what led me to mosaics.  I had always loved the art form, but being able to use blue bottles sealed the deal for me.  Was there something special that lead you to your craft?

  • Jennie

    I love this story! I think what led me specifically to crocheting with fabric was reading a book about making yarn containers that were topped with fabric. I was like, “What??? I can cut fabric and use that as yarn? Or instead of yarn?” Whoa.

    • Emily

      Remembering that “aha!” moment is fun, especially later now that it has become part of your everyday life!