We recently connected with Lillian (LC) Tobey and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Lillian (LC) thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

As an advocate for the arts in Volusia County. my focus is on cross pollinating artists by sharing their artwork and facilitating opportunities for them to exhibit. I have a passion for helping artists to find their way from outsiders to insiders. Through training and mentoring their amazing artwork is now being enjoyed by some many art lovers.

At the beginning of 2020 I was nominated and elected into the position of President of the Florida Women’s Arts Association. (FLWAA)

As President of the Florida Women’s Arts Association (FLWAA) my goal was to provide an outlet for women artist, not currently in a gallery, to showcase their artwork and provide an opportunity for them to met with and interact with other artist. We where in the mist of covid with only 35 active members, no exhibitions scheduled, website outdated and membership was done through mailing in your check with a form. There was definetly an opportunity to update processes and procedures to encourage growth and participation. to so many women. We started by using Zoom to reconnect that which was lost during covid. Our meeting became away of celebrating each others artworks and stories. The website was updated, however it still is not the vision I had but it worked to futher cultivating the arts and giving us a central location to promote FLWAA meetings, memberships and call to artist. We took another step by using Jotforms as a way to accept membership, payments, and submissions for art venues.

Once it was safe to get together monthly word was getting out about the positive energy women artist where finding within our group. Over the next year we would grow to over 150 members.by, providing educational talks, exhibition opportunities and monthly newsletters .

FLWAA has partnership with Cobb Cole, Ormond Memorial Art Museum, Ormond Performing Arts Center and the Museum of Arts & Science. Most recently working with FLWAA artist to create a colorful umbrella installation at the Museum of Arts & Sciences that was embraced by Volusia County residents during its two-month exhibit. The Florida Women’s Arts Association next exhibit will be at the News Journal Fine Arts Gallery located at Daytona Beach College. The exhibit is called, “Turning News Into Art.” Upper classmen that serious about their art studies will be given the opportunity to curate and judge this exhibit. They will be graded for their work while learning a valuable skill!

Being the President of the Floroida Women’s Arts Association has been a very meaningful project for me. You wonder why? It is having women come up to me saying thank you I really needed this or wow you actually see me. Other artist through FLWAA became more confident with their artwork and style. Making significant changes which enabled them to put on outstanding solo exhibitions. Smile – this is excelrating and so exciting to me!

Lillian (LC), love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a creative visionary who enjoys engaging art with the public. As an artist my first love was photography. It was easy to pick and put down while raising my family. Being part of a camera club educated me and helped me grow into a published photographer. I still use this skll to promote my work and others as well.

I always had a fascination with glass and the way it changes with the light creating a dance of its own.
My journey started in the Chicagoland area where I studied glass as an apprentice to the late Robert Cooper of Cooper Art Glass. Robert Cooper specialized in stain glass with a focus on work created by Frank Lloyd Wright. With time and experience i grew to enjoy restoring stainglass which meant getting in the mindset of the person who originally created it. Working with clients on art glass designs soon developed. Bringing the vision of another into realtiy was challanging and yet so rewarding. Not only to me but the client because I allowed them to get involved with all the stages of the creative process.

I also studied fused glass under the direction of Kittrell/Rifkind Glass Studio in Dallas Texas. Fused glass allowed me to find a style all my own. Drawing me into contempory designs of Modrian, Picasso and David Hayes. Ove ten years ago I meet my husband Tommy Tobey who is also a glass artist. Together we founded Dream ARtglass…
It is nice to have someone to collaborate, brainstorm with, and be able to stretch the creative engineering process with.
Not everything we do works. However, we learn from each process of design the factors that do work and apply it.

Another Artist Anne Royer and I worked to established “The Arts & Music Guild,” non-profit to promote local artists..

Lol, I even had the privlage to write a childrens book called “Chester of Chestnut Square,” a true story about a cat that adopted Chestnut Square Historical Village as his home and became our ambassodor. All the illistrations where done by McKinney ISD Students with all the profits going to back to the non-profit.

Bringing arts front and center to all who can embrace it with positive energy is what I am all about. Being married to a creative that is just as crazy as you are makes it so much more fun.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The particular goal or mission that is driving my creative journey is getting people excited about art whether it is theres or someone elses. Art is an escape from todays insanity. People need color, line texture, reflection. dimension, perspective. linage and positive energy in their lifes. It is a way to escape back to reality with a brand new outlook. We need to encourage, build up and believe in each other. I can do this through my art, others peoples art and vibrant conversation. I have a facebook page called LCTobey. Daily I promote other artist, Call to artist, Exhibitions, and artist opportunities. Artist need to seen an heard.. That is what my creative journey is all about.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Society on a whole needs to provide more funds to our public school systems for the arts which include, visual, music, drama and dance. When I hear and read storys about how little funding the art teachers are receiving to purchase art supplies for their students it makes me concerned. As an advocate for the arts the Florida Women’s Arts Association will donate gift cards to the art teachers at various schools that they do not have to report and that can only be used to purchase art supplies. When I know of someone who is giving usable art items away I encourage them to donate them to an art teacher. One of our favorite charities is Kids Rock The Nation which through private donations and fundraiser purchase musical instraments that they give to schools and promising students.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.dreamartglass.com
• Instagram: lc5209
• Facebook: lcTobey
• Linkedin: Lillian C. Tobey
• Youtube: FLWAA

Image Credits
Lillian (LC) Tobey