TEXAS CITY ARTIST GETS FIRED UP ABOUT FUSED GLASS

Art is a glass act for Jackie Low of Texas City. She
fuses pieces of glass in creating jewelry, dishes, and
more in her kiln at temperatures that top 1,400 degrees.
Low, 77, has been working in the medium about
11 years. She is a member of Galveston Art League
― which has galleries in Texas City and Galveston
― and enters the league’s juried competitions as well
as the annual Texas City Art Festival. Low took second
place in the 3-D category at the 2015 art festival
and more recently received an honorable mention at
a Galveston Art League juried competition. She has
donated a blue-and-white bowl of “woven” glass to be
auctioned during the Art League’s annual gala fundraiser
to help the nonprofit organization increase its
operating funds. The gala will be Saturday, Oct. 6, at
the San Luis Resort Grand Ballroom at 5222 Seawall
Blvd. in Galveston; tickets and details at GalvestonArtLeague.com.
Following are a few insights into Low’s work with
fused glass.
Q: What are your favorite things to make?
A: I like making coasters. They’re little 4-inch canvases.
You can take these and make a set around a
theme. And I like jewelry because you can create a
variety of special effects and you never know exactly
what you’ll get until it comes out of the kiln. I also
enjoy making bigger pieces because they can tell a
story; my Fruit Salad in Paradise piece is about Adam
and Eve and the snake in the Garden of Eden.
Q: Where do you sell your art?
A: At the Galveston Art League Gallery in Galveston,
which has a jewelry case in addition to shelf
space for my pieces. I also sell at Affaire d’Art gallery
in Galveston and at
Galveston Boutique on
25th Street.
Q: You’re active in
Galveston Art League, editing
its quarterly newsletter
and serving on its board.
Why is the Art League important
to you?
A: I think the availability
of arts of all sorts is important
to the quality of
life in a community, and
the Art League is a huge
supporter of visual arts
and arts education. The
league’s children’s programs
and workshops
[details at GalvestonArtLeague.com]
help
give Galveston County
its character. We have
this incredible wealth
of people here who
share their art through
performing and visual
arts. Accessibility to
art is important because
exposure to art
enhances learning in
other areas.
Q: Where can someone
learn about fusedglass
techniques, tools,
and supplies?
A: I started with
classes in the senior
adult program at the
College of the Mainland
in Texas City.