In my cast sculptures I enlist collective imagery, rendered in a direct simple style encased within solid glass, to tell stories. These stories are drawn from memories or impressions, sometimes my own, other times other artists’ biographical information.
For me, the process of working in glass in itself requires the spirit of collaboration with others and a dialog with the material itself, which, by its fluid nature, can become a catalyst for expression. I share a hot glass studio with my husband where I have worked for the past 12 years. As I work as an artist in glass I am able to expand my creative expression within the body of work through investigation and invention.
I sculpt and paint objects in glass that tell illusory narratives. The sculpted pieces are encased in sand-cast glass forms. The cast pieces are assembled in different sections, often stacked or nestled together and, on occasion, can be reconfigured. A successful work is technically sound as well as lyrical in the combining of images. Also, the combination of images must express ideas of the story of the piece. The best pieces have multiple ways of reading the story.
In the spirit of folk art, the imagery that I create is intuitive and speaks of my own fascination with home, nature, sexuality, art making, and death. My pieces are also always about the moment; all the sensual and intellectual factors that define a particular time. I’m trying to capture the brief nature of ripeness, fertility and richness on many levels. The swiftness of life is also the beauty of it.
Working with glass allows me to juxtapose a highly elaborate technique with spontaneous brushstrokes and gestures. Like many craftsmen, my work is consumed with process, which is a great catalyst for delving into the subconscious, a release from will and ego.
Process
Stephanie Trenchard has developed a very unique method of creating art-using glass combined with her training as a painter. She first creates fully realized figures of objects in clear glass. Secondly, these are painted with a type of paint especially developed to withstand the high temperature of firing glass. These can be mixed and blended just as with oil or acrylic paints. Next these 3-dimensional objects or figures are submerged into molten glass encased in cubes and rectangles of clear sand glass. Each cube or rectangle is created so that they can be fitted tightly next to one another or on top, making a totem like structure. Much sanding and grinding takes place to get the perfect fit.
Trenchard is able to handle the seductive qualities of glass to her advantage. She creates beautiful pieces of art without sacrificing the concepts behind each piece. One goes away from the piece with a desire to return for a deeper understanding and appreciation.
Born in Champaign, Illinois in 1962, Trenchard earned her bachelor of fine arts degree in painting from Illinois State University. Her work is in corporate and museum collections. She shares a hot shop glass studio with her husband where she has worked for the past 12 years.