About the Artist
During her childhood Jamie’s creativity nestled itself in the world of 2D. Drawing and sketching were her forte for many years. It was not until her Junior year of high school that her art teacher, Mr. Meek, had given them an open 3D artwork assignment that glass had caught her interest as a medium.
Cleaning and breaking as many clear glass bottles as she could find Jamie reassembled the shards into quite a dangerous, yet beautiful flower (while accumulating numerous band-aids all over her fingers and hands). The qualities of the glass astounded her. The way light was reflected and redirected through the razor-sharp petals was dazzling and was even more so when one took a laser-pointer and shone it through them. However, it was, in the end, just another extremely fun project.
The next year, was different. Her biology teacher, Mr. Spreng, got her hooked on biology. That spring she went down to Key Largo in Florida with her marine biology class to dive around and study the coral reefs. Her heart was stolen by the beauty. Thus, upon entry to Bowling Green State University, Jamie became a biology major with a future focus on marine biology.
That first year and a half of college was dedicated to biology and volunteered in the Marine Lab where Jamie helped care for the various sea life kept there. She very much enjoyed the work but still loved art. Then, when she discovered that the likelihood of becoming a very well paid marine biologist was the same as becoming a well paid artist. Thus, she switched her major to one she loved the most. Art.
Immediately she dove into the glass world.
For the rest of her college career, Jamie focused on learning the art of glass blowing. In 2010 she even had the pleasure of studying in Venice, Italy for a month at the Abate Zenetti School of Glass on the island of Murano. It was there that she had the opportunity to watch some of the masters at work, including Lucio Bubacco. Watching him sculpt glass using naught but a torch and creating some of the most beautiful and detailed glass she had seen, Jamie was inspired to attempt this facet of glass art.
Upon returning to the United States Jamie put together the most basic lampworking setup she could afford to do since, at the time, Bowling Green State University did not have a lampworking studio or classes. Thus, during her free time, Jamie began experimenting on her own (much exploding glass ensued, though no one was injured).
After graduation from college in December 2011 with a Bacholor’s in the 3D Fine Arts with a focus on glass blowing, the young college graduate set off to work dead end jobs to support her passion. She became entirely self-taught in lampworking, trying her best to make glass when she could afford to.
In 2013 Jamie married Alexander Parke who has been a great supporter and continually pushes her to do better. Then, in 2014, while her husband was overseas on military duty, Jamie poured all her focus and energy into her glass. During that time she came across a generous benefactor and was able to expand her studio and her abilities. She also discovered an interest in the natural world, specifically insects.
Insects and arachnids were intriguing subjects that allowed Jamie to really test her skills and explore with various colors and patterns. Determination pushed her to make her creations smaller and smaller. One arachnid she had made was no larger than a fingerprint. Through her exploration of insects and arachnids in glass she found that, in spite of the delicacy of the limbs and antennae, glass is remarkable resilient and surprisingly flexible.
It was in 2018 that she turned around to a past passion. Marine life. She still had a lot of love for the fathomless ocean and its mysterious creatures. She wanted to bring more awareness and thought to the waters that sustain the world. Thus, she strives to start a new chapter in her artwork and maybe do some good while she is at it.
Cleaning and breaking as many clear glass bottles as she could find Jamie reassembled the shards into quite a dangerous, yet beautiful flower (while accumulating numerous band-aids all over her fingers and hands). The qualities of the glass astounded her. The way light was reflected and redirected through the razor-sharp petals was dazzling and was even more so when one took a laser-pointer and shone it through them. However, it was, in the end, just another extremely fun project.
The next year, was different. Her biology teacher, Mr. Spreng, got her hooked on biology. That spring she went down to Key Largo in Florida with her marine biology class to dive around and study the coral reefs. Her heart was stolen by the beauty. Thus, upon entry to Bowling Green State University, Jamie became a biology major with a future focus on marine biology.
That first year and a half of college was dedicated to biology and volunteered in the Marine Lab where Jamie helped care for the various sea life kept there. She very much enjoyed the work but still loved art. Then, when she discovered that the likelihood of becoming a very well paid marine biologist was the same as becoming a well paid artist. Thus, she switched her major to one she loved the most. Art.
Immediately she dove into the glass world.
For the rest of her college career, Jamie focused on learning the art of glass blowing. In 2010 she even had the pleasure of studying in Venice, Italy for a month at the Abate Zenetti School of Glass on the island of Murano. It was there that she had the opportunity to watch some of the masters at work, including Lucio Bubacco. Watching him sculpt glass using naught but a torch and creating some of the most beautiful and detailed glass she had seen, Jamie was inspired to attempt this facet of glass art.
Upon returning to the United States Jamie put together the most basic lampworking setup she could afford to do since, at the time, Bowling Green State University did not have a lampworking studio or classes. Thus, during her free time, Jamie began experimenting on her own (much exploding glass ensued, though no one was injured).
After graduation from college in December 2011 with a Bacholor’s in the 3D Fine Arts with a focus on glass blowing, the young college graduate set off to work dead end jobs to support her passion. She became entirely self-taught in lampworking, trying her best to make glass when she could afford to.
In 2013 Jamie married Alexander Parke who has been a great supporter and continually pushes her to do better. Then, in 2014, while her husband was overseas on military duty, Jamie poured all her focus and energy into her glass. During that time she came across a generous benefactor and was able to expand her studio and her abilities. She also discovered an interest in the natural world, specifically insects.
Insects and arachnids were intriguing subjects that allowed Jamie to really test her skills and explore with various colors and patterns. Determination pushed her to make her creations smaller and smaller. One arachnid she had made was no larger than a fingerprint. Through her exploration of insects and arachnids in glass she found that, in spite of the delicacy of the limbs and antennae, glass is remarkable resilient and surprisingly flexible.
It was in 2018 that she turned around to a past passion. Marine life. She still had a lot of love for the fathomless ocean and its mysterious creatures. She wanted to bring more awareness and thought to the waters that sustain the world. Thus, she strives to start a new chapter in her artwork and maybe do some good while she is at it.
