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Sapphire Pearlwrap Bowl)
Amethyst, Ruby, Sapphire ColumnAfter receiving her BS in Art Education/Art Therapy at Bowling Green State University (1981), Judi Weilbacher found her way to glass art and to the Penland School of Crafts. She studied glass formally at Penland for two years, after working for two years with glass artist Lewis Woodruff-first as an assistant and then as a spouse and partner. Judi also worked for two of the original members of the studio glass movement, Mark Peiser and Harvey Littleton. Judi and Lewis returned to their native Ohio in 1993 and are now well established, independent glass artists.
They remain each other's favorite assistant, and also produce superb collaborative pieces. Judi is best known for her "color sculptures, " substantial pieces of rounded, faceted clear glass encasing interacting circular shapes of intensely colored glass. Within this basic format, Judi can explore endless combinations of color and form. Faceting provides additional interest, as the internal shapes and their relationship to each other seem to change with different perspectives. "Creating art from molten glass allows me to capture glass's rhythmic flowing movement in a frozen state. The transparency, brilliance, durability and intrinsic beauty of glass offer the perfect medium to design my 'man-made gems.'"
