Featured Artist for January 2012 Angela Henty 8th Grade, Siskiyou School, Ashland

Angela came in to LightGarden at the beginning of December looking to continue and complete a mentorship program. Every eighth grade student at Siskiyou School, a Waldorf school that places a focus on the arts, is required to find a mentor in a field that they are interested in, complete at least 30-40 hours of study, complete a report on their experiences, and include a community service project much like a senior class project in high school. Angela began her mentorship with a bead artist in Ashland that was not able to fulfill all of her hours. She was able to learn the basics of working with a torch and what is involved with making a bead from a rod of glass. It's a great experience for someone her age. Angela and her mother were interested in our fusing program to complete her studies and gain the remaining hours of instruction that was needed to complete her school project. Angela is a natural at working with glass. She started by making several dichroic glass pendants and earring sets for Christmas presents. She's now interested in learning to fuse larger projects and build on her experiences. I told her about LightGarden's Flowers of Hope project and she decided that it would make a great community service project as well as being able to contribute the first "Flowers" panel of 2012!

I think Angela has a great potential for glass working if she keeps at it. She has a great eye for design, combining colors and following instructions. Most importantly, she has a true love of glass that can lead her anywhere she wants to go. I sat down and talked with her after our last lesson and this is what she had to say: WHAT KIND OF CRAFTS HAVE YOU DONE BEFORE? WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME? I've always like to draw and paint. I like going into craft shops and looking around. I've done collage, sewing, knitting, scrapbooking, beading, & crocheting. WHY DID YOU SEEK OUT SOMEONE IN THE GLASS ARTS? I originally wanted to do glassblowing but I couldn't find a mentor. When I was in 5th grade one of the eighth graders that year did a mentorship with a glassblower and made this incredible clear glass chandelier. I was inspired by it. I found a torchworker but she couldn't finish the program and that's when I came here. WHAT WERE YOUR EXPECTATIONS WHEN YOU FIRST ENTERED THE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM. I thought it was going to be less stressful than it was. I thought it would be easy to find a mentor. It was harder to find a mentor that could do all the hours the program required and to fit my schedule to their schedule. It is easier now that I have a set time every week to come in and work.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN THAT YOU DIDN'T EXPECT TO? When I used to go in glass stores I always wondered, "how do they make that?" Now I know. It's nothing like I expected. I've also learned to schedule my time. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECTS YOUR CLASSMATES ARE WORKING ON. One guy is rebuilding cars, another is learning computer skills, a couple of girls are doing paragliding, sailing (last summer), there is also animated film, shoemaking, pen & ink art, and violin making.

YOU HAVE OTHER ARTISTS IN THE FAMILY? I have several other artists in the family. My grandmother used to paint and knit. One of my aunts is a graphic designer and paints. Another aunt is a fabric artist. Grandma used to buy me art supplies all the time and when I went to her house I would stare at her work and get inspired. MOST OF THE LOCAL SCHOOLS HAVE ELIMINATED ART, MUSIC AND DRAMA FROM THEIR CURRICULUM IN AN EFFORT TO BALANCE THEIR BUDGETS. DO YOU THINK THIS WILL IMPACT SOCIETY IN THE FUTURE? Yes! I am grateful that art and music is part of our school. I hope it will turn around. I think Waldorf schools are on the right track and public schools should take notice.

HAVING BEEN THROUGH THIS MENTORING PROGRAM, ARE YOU MORE LIKELY TO MENTOR STUDENTS WHEN YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY? Yeah, it's been fun working with my mentors. I've had a great time and I love working with glass. I'd like to keep on working with glass and improve my abilities instead of dropping it after the project is over. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY TO PEOPLE WHO ARE CONSIDERING MENTORING IN THE FUTURE? Go for it! It's good to learn how to teach. It's a pleasurable way to reinforce what you know. WHAT ARE YOU PLANS FOR THE FUTURE? WILL YOU CONTINUE TO WORK WITH GLASS? I am going to try to! I love working with glass! It's so much fun and I want to learn more about it. I want to learn stained glass and mosaics. I also love the circus and artwork and painting, drawing; anything in the arts.

LightGarden Glass Art 1086 Washburn Lane Medford, Oregon 97501 1-541-779-0272 jessy@lightgarden.net