Dolores Barrett Works

BIography

Dolores Barrett was born in San Mateo, California in 1961 and pursued a career in music, specializing in orchestral and choral conducting. In 1999 she discovered her talent as a fine porcelain artist and her meticulous canine portraiture soon appeared at prestigious kennel clubs across the United States. She was introduced to the medium of glass in the summer of 2002 while attending an international porcelain conference. The allure of art glass ignited a new passion in her work and she soon devoted her energies to the evolution of glass adornment in both fused and laminated forms.

Barrett’s unique style of glass jewelry regularly appears in various national and international exhibitions. She was a finalist in the 2004 international EMERGE glass competition sponsored by Bullseye Glass Company, and has been selected to participate in the Pilchuck Glass School's annual exhibition and auction in Seattle since 2005. She was awarded a scholarship to attend the prestigious Pilchuck Glass School during the summer of 2008. In the 2009, she was selected as a featured artist in The Ventura Museum's special exhibit Telling Our Stories, and participated in Wheaton Art's Glass Weekend in 2010.

A keen eye for color and design, as well as atypical use of the glass medium, has garnered her attention from a growing number of collectors around the United States.

Artist’s Statement

Glass is my medium and my passion.  Ever since I was first introduced to its crystalline forms and iridescent colors, my imagination was consumed.  My work primarily focuses on kiln-fused techniques in which many variations of colored and dichroic glass are pieced together in representational as well as abstract objects of personal adornment …an expression of light in solid form.  I strive to produce pieces with an inner significance, touching the core emotions of the wearer. Often, I accentuate the creations with precious metals, gemstone accents, and intricate wirework, further adding to the many layers of vitreous emotion.  Producing art with this vision is my ultimate goal, as well as creating objects meant to be worn and enjoyed. Among my influences are Midcentury Modern design, Bauhaus, astronomy, and nature.

Concocting unusual uses for glass is what I enjoy most, and this has involved trailblazing many new techniques as well as inventing atypical assemblies. I make use of many methods across many mediums to achieve this: 3D printing, CAD programing, micro welding, and so on. My greatest tools, however, are: my imagination, my hands, and my dogged determination.