Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Janas
Michelle, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I first learned to cut glass by hand in 2012. I apprenticed for a framer where I learned to make lots of precise, straight cuts. My intrigue for the medium soon grew, and I began exploring what I could do with glass. I soon found a love for the process of making stained glass and things really developed from there. I continue to enjoy exploring different ways to use and manipulate glass to create pieces that I hope folks find to be uniquely me!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Yes and no. I run into hurdles all the time, but on a broad scale, I can see gradual and continual growth over the years I’ve been working at my craft and my business.
One of my biggest hurdles last year was actually weather. My business relies heavily on in person markets, and here in the northeast the weather was painfully unpredictable for most of the year. I had countless events get cancelled, others that got postponed multiple times, events where it rained the entire day, others that were so windy I could hardly put anything on display without risking loss of product, and even more that were just so excruciatingly hot that folks just didn’t turn out.
Two markets in particular stand out in my mind from last year. At one, a shelter in place was called in the middle of the event. Everyone was made to leave immediately and leave our tents and our wares unattended. We came back to carnage. Tents were in pieces, product was damaged and broken all over and the entire location was flooded. The second market that stands out in my mind took place shortly after the one I just mentioned. The winds were so intense that my tent became a kite. As three people were actively trying to hold it down, stake it into the ground and get tent weights on each leg, a massive gust of wind came through and ripped the tent out of our grasp. Luckily no one was injured, but it just became too dangerous. The event went on, but I forfeited my vendor fee and left without getting a chance to sell anything at all.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I make stained glass and mosaics with a modern edge, and I take a sort of pride in working solely with lead free solder. Most folks find it a bit difficult to work with because of its higher melting point, but I made the switch early on and have never looked back.
Most of my designs are either directly or in some way inspired by nature, but I think I’m probably most known, or at least most recognized for my skeleton hands gestures (the shaka is most popular) and my mosaic surf boards.
What does success mean to you?
I feel successful when folks make a point to come to me and share how much a piece that I’ve made means to them. Sometimes it’s something they connect with right in the moment, and sometimes it’s in regards to a piece that was gifted or purchased at a different time. Regardless, I think being able to evoke emotion/connection through my art really is the definition of success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MEYEimages
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/m.eyeimages/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/M.EYEimagesri
Image Credits
Last image of me at a gallery show with a partial of multiple boards was taken by Patrick Murphy