Selecting glass
Dark Hollow Stained Glass began as a small studio in Lewisburg, West Virginia in 1979 and has evolved into two small studios in 2007, one in Alderson, West Virginia and one in Charlottesville, Virginia. The desire is to stay fairly small, so the focus will be on the art, not the business. A new studio space is being built in Alderson to allow room to expand the work area for experimentation with new techniques and to include a woodworking area.
New work is always in progress. Presently, artist Jo Dugan Perez, is focusing on abstract panels and designing and building lamps. Traditional Japanese andon lantern forms are beautifully interpreted in stained glass and wood. This is where East meets West in lighting design. The beautiful forms of nature such as flowers, butterfly wings and the tiny droplets of red berries in winter snow can create a relaxing and serene mood in a living space. An andon lamp is one of only a few focal points a room might need. Simplicity and peacefulness pervades this traditional Japanese and contemporary style.
The abstract panels also convey this idea of simplicity but contain energy of color and movement that can bring a mood of excitement into a space without being too busy or overwhelming. Twisting and broken forms, complementing colors and sometimes surprising lightning bolts can illuminate a landscape of emotion and beauty.