Amanda Edwards is a two-dimensional sculptor. Her work is glass, but it is not like any other you have seen. She has melded several processes into something truly remarkable.
Edwards grew up in Woodbury, a small town in Western Connecticut. It’s a very picturesque area known as the antique capital of Connecticut for its colonial houses and a ridiculous number of antique shops.
“Growing up, it was a perfect place for anyone with an active imagination,” Edwards admits. “We lived nestled between a cornfield, a stream, and some dense woods, and I spent most of my childhood time in one of those three places.”
She has been making art for as long as she can remember. There was an occasional commission here and there, but it was really just for her.
“Sketching was always my go-to, but I dabbled in everything: pottery, watercolors, acrylics, fiber arts, and many others,” says Edwards. “I started playing with mosaics in 2008 when my children were small. Their shared bathroom needed an update, and I thought a mosaic counter and sink would be fun. My husband had done a little stained glass work in the past, so I grabbed his old glass stash and played.”
After completing that project, she was hooked. She practiced with mosaic installations in her home and then started working on pieces to hang.
“I began selling them right away, primarily to people I knew,” she shares. “In 2011, I completed my first large mural for the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital. One year later, I had my largest commission, a five-story mosaic mural for Boston Children’s Hospital.”
So, where does the inspiration come from for such an interesting and diverse medium?
“My inspiration comes mostly from my environment, sometimes daydreams. I love traveling, so my work isn’t all Maine-based, but Maine does have endless inspiration around every corner,” Edwards shares. “My mosaic work is skill and conscious… to a large degree, but not completely. Although I need to be fully present during the creation process, with the thousands of little hand-cut pieces of glass, there is a lot of feeling it out. I have a plan in mind and a special moment in time or place I want to come across clearly in my work, but inside of all of that is a lot of play with colors and shapes.”
Edwards loves to travel and has a love affair with moody weather, stormy seas, drafty old castles, and ancient trees, so…
“Ireland and Scotland are two places I return to every year. Traveling and changing my environment is a sure way to see the world with fresh eyes. During those travels, I met so many amazing artists. Seeing their creativity, hearing their stories, and watching them create is encouraging on every level,” explains Edwards. “I also find a lot of inspiration at home… We bought our current house because we all felt inspired by the land. My home and studio are a mile back on a dirt road along a little tidal creek, nestled into the forest on Great Island in Harpswell. I walk our trails daily and see inspiration everywhere.”
As always, we want to know more about an artist's process. It distinguishes them from other artists and gives us a peek into how they create their art. Edwards is no different.
“I work best in a cozy atmosphere. I wish I could say I love plein air, but I love music, a fireplace, lighting candles, and a snuggly sweater,” she shares, creating an accurate image of herself in her studio. “I’m most creative during the winter or on a rainy day. I’ve always loved the rain, and if I see rain in the forecast, I plan to get up early and spend the entire day working in the studio. I also enjoy taking my sketchbook to a busy cafe or a park bench during the summer.”
Edwards's process is forever evolving. She loves to push herself to create mosaics that she never thought would be possible in glass. She is constantly learning, which, of course, is best through making mistakes.
“I have also learned over time that I need to create what I love.- which I always knew, but I have been more committed to that over the past few years, turning down commissions that don’t speak to me as an artist,” she says. “There is no medium that I get more excited about than glass. - of all kinds. I typically have a few pieces going at the same time. I will work on a commission for a few days and then switch gears to work on one of my pieces. Then, I take breaks here and there by having a day of painting or sketching.”
Mosaic murals take many months to create, and a typical wall mosaic piece takes between 200 and 400 hours. Taking breaks is super important. Generally, after a day of rest or working on other things, she is ready to jump back into mosaics.
“The artwork I create to sell at Maine Art Hill is all made because I’ve been inspired to make them. I create what I love and hope someone else will love them enough to purchase them,” says Edwards. “Creating what I want to create ensures that customers not only get a piece of art that they were drawn to but one that was created with love and inspiration behind every tiny piece of glass.”