9/6/16: Artist Mira Woodworth is living her dream. She taught herself to create with glass while working full time as a civil litigation paralegal. I’ve done that job, and it’s incredibly demanding, so it’s extra impressive that she managed to move her dreams forward while so fully occupied. Woodworth says that at first, she used glass as her escape, but she was eventually able to turn it into a living. I’m very glad she found a way to pursue her art full time, since her staggering talent is abundantly apparent in her work. I came upon one of her pieces while reading other bloggers’ posts about glass sculpture, and when I spotted her work, it stopped me in my tracks.

Working primarily with reclaimed materials, Woodworth’s philosophy clearly shines through in her pieces.

“I am in love with the idea of reclaiming the unwanted and refinishing it into gallery-ready works of art. To me, this speaks to a basic truth of the inherent (and sometimes secret) beauty in everything. There are many “reclaimed” goods on the market, which is great for the environment. But, I believe the object comes first.

In other words, I want the viewer to fall in love with the beauty of the object first. A certain optimism is conveyed when the viewer learns it was resurrected from rubbish. This optimism is what my work is all about. It’s never too late for anything (or anyone) to be remade.” -About Mira Woodworth

The artist gathers her materials from all over. She collects glass construction debris – windows, shelves, shower doors, partitions – and breaks or cuts it into tiny fragments which she then uses in her pieces. Her stunning work is sold everywhere from galleries all over the U.S. to big online retailers like Artful Home and Uncommon Goods.

I know you’re going to love her beautiful glass art as much as I do!

All photos property of Mira Woodworth, used with permission.