In my lampworked paperweights I strive to transform the ephemeral into the eternal, capturing a bloom that may last for only a day or a butterfly that may live for only a week. I am intrigued by botanical forms, by the incredible variety of colors, shapes, and textures in plant life. As I have begun creating my own designs for vacuum-encased paperweights, I have turned to flowers and fruit for inspiration. My still-life assemblages, captured in clear glass, are an attempt to express both the intricate details of plant structure and the simple beauty of outward form. Though I have only been making and selling my own designs since 2007 I have been involved with hot glass in one way or another since 1994 when I had an opportunity to take a short course at Corning's Studio Access to Glass. I took a second glass course at the Corning Glass Studio in 1996, with Eddie Bernard and Pamina Traylor. Since then, I have been studying on my own and under the tutelage of my mother, Cathy Richardson. I took a break from glass between 2000-2006 to attend Winona State University in Winona, MN, where I studied Literature and Psychology. While working on my B.A., I started working with my mother at her studio and eventually decided to join her studio when I graduated from collage. I worked with and for my mother for almost 6 years, but I now have my own studio in Burnsville, MN, where I live with my wife and my new daughter who are the lights of my life. When I am not working in the studio, spending time with my wife, or taking care of my daughter, I enjoy photography, game design, or relaxing with a book.
