Wendy models the shapes and forms of her sculpture with a reflective light source, so her creations innately change with the ambient light or lighting source. Because the reliefs, and reverse reliefs are so deep, they intrinsically produce dramatic shadows and highlights. The 3D glass sculptures are cast using the lost wax method, a similar technique to casting a bronze casting, except in the case of glass it is melted into the mold in the kiln, and annealed for many weeks to ensure the glass has no striations or other imperfections. A painstaking process of cutting the wax takes place in this procedure to achieve multiple colors when they are cast as separate pieces, before reassembly.

Glass is affected in many unexpected ways by its lighting. A backlit head, for instance, will often result in lighting the face. The bubbles can create dimensionality when lit. The mainly figurative drawings are incorporated into the designs that will be cast in glass. The difficulty and conundrum of executing a relief in glass can not be underscored. One must facilitate a sandwiched 3-D object being placed into a non-existent space that approximates someplace between a flat 2-D image, and something not quite 3-D. The trick is there are many unlimited possibilities within this parameter, from an extremely flat low relief, like an image on a Quarter, coin, to the nearly fully-sculpted figure in the example of pate de verre pieces which provide an illustration of 3D images. Ultimately, there is no deterministic, or formulaic means to assist the artist in the squashing of the three dimensions. The artist like a magician creates an illusion of 3 dimensions, while employing only some portion of those dimensions. The only rule according to, Wendy, is that the result has to be beautiful and appealing.

Color is created by the use of “colored glass frit” added to each area. The density of color is determined by its thickness and the other pigments that surround it, or are layered on top. The reverse reliefs have the sculpture impressed in the back with clear glass melted on top. The colored frit is in the bottom-layer. The overall appearance is that the relief is captured inside the glass.

As humanity relates to itself, so too do we as individuals relate to the human form. If done well, the human figure appeals to the viewer in a personal way. The figurative sculpture mirrors our aspirations, state of well being or lack thereof, and our love of our fellow man, or woman. It is a universal symbol of us. Wendy loves sculpting the anatomy into shapes that are exciting, full of movement, and emotion. She finds endless possibilities and challenges in her work. She is inspired from life. She also loves to draw with a passion, hiring models several times a week for both the purity and joy of drawing, and for her sculptural inspiration.