Date:  May 19, 2016  |   Story: Tiffany Adams  |  

Colorful—and highly recognizable—pieces of art glass have made this Pine Bluff native an Arkansas icon

Your art glass pieces have a very distinctive look. Is there a process you follow for their creation?  I always begin with the end in mind. I start out with a sketch, measurements, and colors, and then I create the piece.

Has creativity always been in your blood? I have always been artistic. I began with drawing, painting, and ceramics. My parents always encouraged these artistic endeavors. After graduating from Hendrix College in 1988, I was searching for a new medium to try. The Arkansas Arts Center Museum School offered glassblowing; I tried it and enjoyed the ability to play directly with fire and create an immediate work of art.

Where do you create your pieces? Do you have anyone that assists you? I have a hot shop and showroom in Pine Bluff. The property is a former dairy farm. The showroom is in the old milking parlor, and the hot shop is where they stored the milk. I have two employees that help me in the showroom, and two employees assist me in the hot shop.

From bowls to light fixtures, ornaments to stemware, you create a variety of glass pieces. Is there a form you particularly enjoy making? I love to create chandeliers. They are made with anywhere from 60 to 300 pieces. My favorite part is putting them together because it is like assembling a puzzle. Overall, the best part of being a glass artist is that I can create something, and it is ready by the next day.

James Hayes Art Glass Co., Pine Bluff, (870) 543-9792, hayesartglass.com