Creating beauty through movement.
The Artist & Her Style
Patricia Von Niessen is a stained glass artist and native of British Columbia, Canada. She now resides in Holly, MI. She believes that executing her designs via the Tiffany method, allows her more flexibility and detail.
Artist Statement:
I’ve always felt most at peace in nature, and this is reflected in my style. My art glass is heavily influenced by nature and designed to bring peace through the careful selection of colour and the gentle flow of lines.
One of the techniques you’ll notice about my art glass, is that I match cut. This means that I takes a single sheet of background glass and cut it in such a way that all the intricacies line up, allowing the eye to rest on the main subject, while enjoying the beauty of the glass as a whole. In “match cutting” no mistakes can be made. You’ll also take note of my flowing, calm style; something that you just won’t see elsewhere. My signature is contemporary, and my technique of creating movement in glass is difficult to achieve, and extremely rare in the glass community.
I use Youghiogheny, Bullseye, and Uroboros glass almost exclusively. These glasses are hand rolled and hand mixed by skilled artisans in Pennsylvania and Oregon. No two sheets of glass are exactly alike. My greatest pleasure comes from selecting just the right glass to portray the depth, movement and mood for the completed panel.
Accolades and Jury Remarks
Quote from Master Glasser Jerry England:
“If you peruse all the work past and present on FB you’ll quickly see how unique and beautiful the style you’ve developed is. Work like that will ultimately give you a signature that represents your work. Very few achieve that recognition and you have it. Not blowing smoke here but that’s simply some very cool work.”
“Not many of us develop a singular style because from early on we just do stuff to try to learn how. The very rare few begin with a concept in their mind and build the skills necessary to execute that style. I know of about 3 or 4 that have done this. I envy that ability and in the long run speaking of being marketable, this is the best course. Having said that, this actually makes you more of an artist and less of a journeyman/craftsman. This will ultimately lead to a better place for you the artist because you will gain a following from people that like and recognize the style. You’re much more like a singer, who we instantly recognize with just a verse or two. You’re in a very good place.”
Judge: Sarah Kohn Curator of Exhibitions and Collections, Flint Institute of Arts
Regarding “Love in the Garden”
“Depicting motion in stained glass is often very difficult to accomplish. Patti’s forms exude so much movement that you can almost hear the bird’s wings flapping. The red and green elements complement each other nicely but don’t draw attention from the iridescent blues and purples of the feathers. The fused glass elements also add depth and complexity to the image.”
Experience/Professional Development
Years of Experience: 15
Member of American Glass Guild
Member of SGAA (Stained Glass Association of America)
Member of Michigan Artists Registry
Member of Fenton Arts Council, Grand Blanc Arts Council, and Greater Flint Arts Council.
Professional Development – Foil Overlay with Margo Marquette 2021
Professional Development – Creating Depth and Volume with John Sollinger
Residency/Awards:
February 2018 – June 2020: Resident Artist 3060 Art Gallery
Second Place: Ohio State Fair 2017 (Koi and Cherry Blossoms)\
Honorable Mention: Greater Flint Art Council 2023
Recipient of GCAC Materials grant 2019
Recipient of GCAC Marketing Support grant 2029
Recipient of CERF Studio Safety grant 2021
Recipient of MCACA Mini-Grant 2021 (Professional Development)
Featured Artist for Delphi Glass:
- Fall/Winter catalogue 2019
- 2020 Products catalogue
- 2022 Spring catalogue
- 2024 Winter catalogue
Featured artwork in Bullseye 2023 catalogue