Janice Stowers, resident of Minden, NV for the last 40 years, is one of three glass artists in the NAA gallery. She came to appreciate glass art as she traveled and toured glass making facilities in Germany and Switzerland. Janice collected mostly blown glass pieces on her travels and brought her fascination with glass home, even furnishing her living room with a large glass coffee table. By 2003, she took a glass fusing class in Reno and has since been on a quest to make glass art.

To begin this journey, she first had to have her own studio. Her husband turned part of their garage that he built into a studio for her. Over time, Janice slowly added the needed equipment such as glass, cutters, grinders, and oh yes- a kiln! While she was gathering her equipment, she studied with and used the studio of a local glass maker, learned where she could buy the glass and molds in the U.S.A. and then was surprised to learn that there were only two fused glass manufacturers in our country.

Janice continues to self-teach through online tutorials to learn new techniques and acquire project ideas, then explores possibilities with what she learns. Knowing the chemistry and physical properties of the medium allow her to control the outcome, however happy surprises can result when the fluid glass takes a turn of its own when in a kiln of intense heat. Janice is a lover of abstract art and glass art lends itself to the minimalists’ eye of abstract expression. That and her love of blue, whether it recalls the sounds of ocean waves or takes the mind to another dimension, can often be seen in Janice’s work.

While showing her glass in the East Fork Gallery in Gardnerville, a fellow artist of the gallery, who was also a member of the NNA, encouraged her to place her work in the NNA Gallery in Carson City. She soon took a position on the board as Program Director and followed that with 3 years as secretary. She still actively participates in gallery duties, especially in the eight times a year show change. Janice’s work can currently be seen at Prism gallery in Minden, and here in Carson City at the NAA GALLERY and the “Visit Carson City” offices’ gallery.