We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Stephen Edwards. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Stephen below.

Alright, Stephen thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I was a third year pre med student in 1976 in California.. I couldn’t believe the amount of information they wanted you to learn in a very short time. I was given one elective course in 4 years of study. Finals came around that year. The pressure was intense. We were told that we could only get one B grade in 4 years of study if we wanted to go to a California Medical School. My best friend couldn’t take the pressure and killed himself. I dropped out of school for one year to contemplate my future. I went back to school to finish my pre med studies. I decided to take my one elective. I dropped down to Jr College and took ceramics. Wow, I walked into the classroom and they were listening to music and throwing pots. I changed my major to Art right then. I enrolled in ceramics classes for one year. At the end of that year my ceramics professor set up a small hot glass furnace. I watched him blow glass for one week when he handed me the blowpipe and said, “finish it off.” I was hooked. I asked where I could go study hot glass. He sent me to San Jose State.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I attended Graduate School to get a Masters of Fine Art degree at Illinois State University. After graduation,I received an Artist in Residence position at Penland School in North Carolina. The 20th Century Curator of the Corning Museum of Glass came by my studio and asked me if I would consider selling a piece to the museum for its permanent collection. I was floored and said yes. Then I was offered an exhibition at the prestigious Heller Gallery on Madison Avenue in NYC. I was so afraid to go to the opening I was 2 hours late. It was one of those galleries that you had to ring a buzzer to get into the gallery. The owner of the gallery ran up the stairs and told me that I had missed it. The exhibition had already sold out. All the big galleries heard about the sell out exhibition at Heller and I was off and running. I received two National Endowment for the Arts Grants. and I set up my first hot glass studio near the school . At that time most glass artists were making cups, paperweights and vases. I wanted to make sculpture. My career took off like a rocket. I received a Sculpture Professorship at Alfred University in NY State where I stayed for 22 years. I think I am most proud of is having work in over 30 museums worldwide.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

After retiring from my position at Alfred University. My family and I moved back to Southern California where we were both from. We settled in the Ojai Valley. I set up another studio and went to work. Three years later I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. I was devastated. My father had Parkinson’s. What would the future hold for me? I struggled for six months trying to get a grip on my diagnosis. I was having problems with balance, brain fog and tremors. I went to a Neurological Boxing Program at a local gym. I loved it. I met other Parkinson’s patients there and got out my frustrations. I decided to fight Parkinson’s and not give into it. It has been the fight of my life. The doctors said I would be dead in three years. That was five years ago and I am still here. .You can’t stop Parkinson’s but you can slow down the progression with exercise. I am still working in my studio and playing music, bluegrass, with friends.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is teaching others to be artists. People do not realize that art can be a career path. I love the look of wonder and excitement in my student’s eyes when I talk to them. I can show them by my experiences what is possible. I have traveled the world giving lectures and demonstrations. I have received grants. I received a university teaching job. I have work in over thirty museums worldwide. I have had a wonderful life in art. I taught by example.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://stephendedwards.org
• Instagram: [email protected]