“Pieces” by Mike Bashford

I suppose on some level, anything I create is made from pieces of glass.  However, for this exhibition I focus on something more specific and feature two types of “pieces”.  

The first type includes works made from obvious discrete pieces: broken pieces, scraps, failed projects, and small pieces of glass from previous projects.  What do you do with this glass “detritus”?  You save it and get buried in it or make something out of it.  There is even one work created on a “pieced” quilt (I also make quilts).  

The second type represents a departure from my usual more functional pieces.  The works are all titled, “Pieces of a Life.”  Each 12” square piece represents a possible event, memory, or circumstance from a person’s life and overlays the emotion that might be associated with it.  Some are quite abstract, others less so.  Hopefully they will lead the viewer to interpret these pieces considering their own life.  One person might primarily see the darkness in a specific piece.  Someone else might see a ray of light or bright color amidst the darkness that, to them, represents hope.  Considering these works, one might see happiness, joy, freedom, sadness, loneliness or a number of other feelings.