Residing on the Grand Lagoon, just a short walk to the Gulf of Mexico in Panama City Beach, much of my art is coastal-inspired. My portfolio features a sampling of my fused glass art and shard art paintings. I often post process photos and videos on my Instagram page. Contact me for availability of existing pieces and to work together to create custom glass art.
Marlene is unbelievably talented and a pleasure to work with. Her ability to manifest a simple idea into a gorgeous piece of art is truly inspiring.
~April Wilkes, Executive Director, The St. Joe Community Foundation
Custom Installations
An installation is a three-dimensional visual artwork, created for a specific place and designed to change the perception of space. When glass art is enhanced with custom lighting or placed near windows and/or near water, the light may change the viewer's perceptions of the glass art throughout the day.

Flying High. This installation of 17 kites hangs in an inset wall at the top of stairs. The artist designed the space, created the mold, and kiln formed each kite, fusing wire into each piece for the fused glass tails. The installation was designed to fit with the theme of the home, "Coastal, Calm, and Happy".
"Transformation" Public Art Installation, Revealed April 1, 2022, Center for the Arts, Panama City
Transformation is a permanent public art hanging installation. It measures 14' long and spans two floors. Transformation has 240 pieces of art glass suspended from a polished steel ring fabricated by Stephen Harman. Ten brilliant shades of purple, pink, and orange catch the rays of sunlight throughout the day, connecting colors with the butterfly mural of the exterior of the Center for the Arts building. Transformation symbolizes the energetic revitalization of downtown Panama City, the metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly, as well as transformations in color that occur in the kiln-firing process. The piece also symbolizes transformations from brokenness and fiery struggles to individual and collective strength and healing.
Fused Glass Kiln-Formed Wall Art
Vintage Swimsuit Collection.
Fused Glass Kiln-Formed Sculptures: Bowls, Vessel Sinks, Vases, Candleholders
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"Handkerchief" Vases/Candleholders |
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Fused Glass Busts

The mold for these busts were created from scratch. It is a process of shaping a fiber blanket over a form, firing to 1300 degrees, sanding and shaping, repeating, and refiring. Glass busts and other sculptures may be displayed on acrylic holders such as these or mounted to hardware and hung on the wall. The artist will also work with you and a metal artist to collaborate on designing a metal form for displaying pieces.
Drop Vases
Drop cases are a complex process. First, a 12 mm thick slab of four or more layers are fused together at approximately 1470 degrees. After cooling the slab is elevated and suspended on top of a donut type mold. At approximately 1280 degrees the glass will begin to drop at a snails pace through the aperture in the mold. Some drops take about eight hours. The artist opens the kiln often (wearing protective gear) to check the depth of the drop, aiming to catch it and begin flash cooling just before the vessel touches the floor of the kiln shelf. After cooling, the rim is removed, and the vessel is coldworked with a series of diamond discs to sand and polish the edges and level the bottom of the vessel. Beautiful colors and designs are formed by the drop.
Seaglass Art
Bottles, vases, dishes are upcycled into art. Seaglass Christmas trees are popular in hombred shades of turquoise and blue, white, green, and even pink. The artist smashes used glass with a sledge hammer and tumbles it in a cement mixer for 24 hours. The result is beautiful faux smooth Seaglass with a perfect frosty finish.
Shard Art
Shard art blends the artist's love of painting and glass. Backgrounds are painted with acrylics using brushes, texture medium and palette knives, or acrylic pour-style painting. Then glass bottles, dishes, and vases are crushed and sorted by size and attached with glue as focal points. Fused glass embellishments are often included. The final touch is a coat of artist's resin, which gives pieces a shiny, watery look and creates depth. The resin secures the glass to the paintings.

Perseverance. A 6' w x 4' high custom piece for Ascension Sacred Heart Bay. It hangs in the hospital foyer. The glass used in the trees, butterflies, and sunflowers is from hospital windows that shattered in Hurricane Michael. The antennae are pine straw pieces that blew into the hospital. The rocks forming the path also blew in from the hospital's flower gardens.
Fun, Functional Glass Art and Jewelry
Some fused glass jewelry is available for purchase directly from the artist and is for sale at Panama City Center for the Arts Gift Shop. Artist will custom make pendants or earrings.