Debra Adelson

I am a formally trained jeweler who graduated from art school before carbon footprint and climate change were terms used in our everyday vernacular. For over a decade, I incorporated plastics into my work as a way to add in color, but with the shift in the global conversation, and my conscience weighing on me, I decided my only option was to reinvent myself. I began a quest to find a more sustainable material. Through years of experimentation, I have developed my own technique where I sculpt glass that I make from a mix of new and upcycled materials to create richly colorful and opalescent pieces. I work the glass at room temperature using my own mix of traditional cold-working and lapidary techniques including laminating, grinding, drilling, cutting, sanding, and stone wheel engraving. I do not use any molds. My pieces narratively explore environmental issues while blurring the lines between natural and manmade elements.