Pat Watkins

“If I Had Wings”
7” X 5.75” X 1” & 7” X 4.75” X 1”

Process and Materials: First, I drew the sketch of what I wanted to illustrate. The title; “If I had wings” is an old Peter, Paul and Mary song.
Second, I cut a large set of tiles – 15” X 17” and began sketching with powders. I didn’t care for the lines, once it was finished so I contacted Catharine Newell for advice.
Third, after Cynthia gave us an extension; I redid the sketch on smaller tiles; separating the total. I had in the back of my mind Catharine’s advice – based on one word “impression” and realized once again, I had missed the goal. Not as badly but nevertheless – I confined myself to lines; hoping to see through the tile to the lower tile.
Fourth, I started from scratch again with the same size of tiles. Slowly I tried to brush away the excess powder to form the impression of the hands. I also changed the colors of the hands. On my second attempt (above) the yellow powder did not differentiate from the other powders; so my piece was becoming dark. I felt it was losing the significance of the light. I am still searching. I believe a technique will come with time and I will find my definition. Perhaps some wouldn’t feel this perplexed but I really want to see movement through the light reflecting from the glass depth as I step around the piece. Fifth, I fused the individual tiles together; then mounted them with the help of my husband.


Content / Intent Statement: My hands are me. The position of one hand clenching to my collar while the other hand is outreaching is a definitive look inside me. The title “If I had Wings” is from a song written by Yarrow/Yardley; better known as Peter, Paul and Mary.
I will attach my statement; hopefully no one would find it too presumptuous.

An Artist’s Statement

A journey; plus a road less traveled bring me to glasswork. Now that I have taken a first step, I would like to record moments of time …”plug and play” within life’s matrix.
I believe we exist unremittingly within an internal or ethereal matrix; which sifts combinations of imagination and creativity with function and form. Journaling this matrix is how we communicate.

Being able to journal another’s life cadence or to render a moment of reflection through glass is my dream. I want to be able to see or touch my work and feel the stories of the characters I have unraveled or created.

Presently I am just formulating techniques and crafting glass forms; I want to expand into a fused somewhat dimensional living portrait. In hope that a viewer would walk up to my glass journal – touch the character as if to feel his heartbeat.