Voices Behind the Glass XI
- Roots of Humanity Foundation
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
An Inside Look at the Sphere of Light from One of Its Visionary Creators
Welcome back to our Artist Interview Series, where each month we spotlight one of the talented artists bringing the Sphere of Light to life. Today we’re excited to introduce Amber Oscarson who is one of the glass selectors and painters for this monumental project.
About the Artist
Can you share a bit about your background and how you got started in stained glass? I started doing stained glass with Tom when Cameron, my husband, who is one of the artists at Holdman Studios, started working for him. I came in a few months later and started cutting glass, and I really enjoyed it. I love puzzles, art, and color. I started to grow a love for glass and the way it looks in the light, and I gained an appreciation for it in a different way. It all started from there.
What inspires your artistic style and approach to working with glass? I have been doing stained glass for about 21 years. The very first window I picked out all on my own was of the Savior with the sheep. The client wanted a more dim look, more of a pastel feel, so I chose milky pastel colors and kept everything a little muted. They did not want as much saturation. I picked out that entire window and really enjoyed it. Hopefully they liked how it looked.
With the Sphere of Light, I do a lot of the glass selection. I look at the image and see where there are blues and yellows, so I pull blues and yellows. If I notice yellow at the top of a piece with a little blue mixed in, I will add that same balance of color. I go off what the picture shows and try to get it as close as possible.
Do you have a favorite technique or process in your work? Because I have been doing this for 21 years, I have experienced a lot of different parts of the process. I do not design, but I do a lot of cutting, building, and laying pieces out. I like to change things up. Some days I enjoy leading, and some days I enjoy cutting. I think my favorite part is laying everything out, because that is when I can really be the artist. That is where I can create my own work through the color of the glass.
About the Sphere of Light
What does it mean to you to be part of the Sphere of Light project? Personally, I think it is exciting. Cameron and I have worked here for a while, and we have brought in our oldest son, so it has been fun as a family to work on this project together. It is exciting because it has a lot of color and a lot of design elements. I love the ocean, so I really enjoy working on the ocean portions of the window.
I understand this project will be around for a long time and that generations will see it. I think it is exciting to be part of something that big.
What challenges have you faced while creating your work for this project? I think my biggest challenge has been working with different artists. Sometimes we have similar ideas of what we want, and other times someone designs something in a way that is different from what I had in mind. There are times when I have an idea of how I want to lay things out or what glass I want to use. We get familiar with each piece of glass and even their names.
Sometimes another artist will come in and pick a piece that was not in my mind at all. That has been my biggest challenge, learning to open up and connect my artwork with someone else’s. In the end, we combine everything together.
Can you walk us through your creative process for this piece? This piece includes the butterfly effect and the hand of God, with arms coming up through the sky. It shows different creatures, fish, beauty, creation, and atmosphere, all together in one piece. It is fun to pick out lines that become veins in a hand or highlights within the glass.
For the plants at the bottom, we try to stick with opaque glass and avoid painting on it. We keep it as natural as possible. As we move into more detailed elements like the fish, sky, eyes, and bubbles, we start adding more detail. We like using bubbles, so we make rondels in the hot shop. There will also be planets made in the hot shop.
We try to stick with antique glass where we can. We paint on the glass, fire it in the kiln, and it becomes one complete piece.
Personal Connection and Impact
What emotions or messages do you hope people will take away from the Sphere of Light? I hope that when people look at it, they are at a loss for words and just get lost in the piece. I do that myself. When we finish a piece and put it up for the first time, it is really touching to see it all come together as one. Many hands have worked on it, and we have all created it together.
I think about famous windows and art pieces around the world, and I imagine that someday this will be one of those pieces that people want to come and see. Being part of something like that is really special.
Has working on the Sphere of Light changed your perspective on art or humanity? I think it is interesting how differently people see things. Some people see light or dark, positivity or sadness, depending on their own perspective. Everyone has different opinions and interpretations. We all take things differently, and I do not think there is only one way to see something.
If you could describe the Sphere of Light in three words, what would they be?Creating. Beautiful. Inspiring.
Don't forget to join us next month for another Full Artist Interview. Stay up to date on the current progress of the Sphere of Light HERE.
Until next time,
Roots of Humanity
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