Gary Zaremsky — Yellow Springs, Ohio
I learned the craft of stained glass while in high school around 1971, and quickly discovered that it was fun, I was good at it, and I enjoyed having a creative outlet. My involvement grew through my college years, and my sales were sufficient to nearly support myself the last two years of my undergraduate studies. At that point my skill and interest increased sufficiently to maintain a small studio for several more years.
My work has always been diverse, including small and medium sized independent panels, architectural installations, lampshades, and terrariums — which were quite popular in the 1970s.
I went back to school in 1980, and in 1983 started working full time as an engineer, then got married which was quickly followed by the eventual arrival of three sons. Consequently my glass work slowed down dramatically.
Once I retired in 2020, my glass activity came out of hibernation and became a major factor in staying sane during the Covid pandemic. My current glass activity remains similar to the initial period, although in recent years my focus on design has expanded based on my fondness for early 20th century Art Deco, Prairie School, and Arts & Crafts designs.
Four Categories of Work
My work is presented in four categories, although there is much overlap:
- Architectural Installations — pieces installed in windows and doors
- Nature & Representative — primarily flowers, but includes landscapes and some animals
- Abstract & Early 20th Century Inspired — the broadest range of designs
- Three-Dimensional — primarily terrariums and some lampshades