Paula Willoquet

My journey learning to work with fused glass began about five years ago, as I was retiring from a fulfilling career as a literature and film studies professor. I have always been drawn to glass and glass objects of all types, so this moment of transition in my life seemed like an opportune time to explore a material that has mesmerized me since childhood, and perhaps to understand the why of this personal fascination.

What began as a curiosity quickly turned into a passion, and a desire to share the beauty of this remarkable material and art form with others. I now teach fused glass classes at the Davis Studio in South Burlington, VT, and you can find me at various local art and craft fairs and shows. I serve on the Board of 802 ARTs House, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting, supporting, and advocating for the arts in Vermont and regionally, and am honored to be represented at Art on Main in Bristol, VT.

Glass draws in and reflects light. It is hard, yet fragile. Solid, yet malleable and fluid under the proper heating conditions. In its molten state, glass can take on just about any shape. A chameleon, some might say. Adaptable, say others. Neither a solid nor a liquid, the amorphous quality of glass speaks to me of “potentiality,” of “possibility.” Perhaps this is what attracted me to glass in the first place, and then to learning the art of kiln forming – fusing glass into a desired shape using a kiln to slump, drape, and cast. I work with many types and forms of Bullseye glass – sheets of opalescent and transparent, dichroic and iridescent, small glass bits called “frit,” glass powder, glass stringers and rods. I delight in fusing glass into functional and decorative objects, and wearable pieces, doing my small part to add a touch of beauty and joy to our everyday lives.