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Cindy Brandt who was originally trained as a mathematician at the University of Pennsylvania spent 19 years as a computer systems designer before she decided it was no way to go through life. Refusing to choose a single medium, she works in both fiber and glass, creating functional work, wall pieces and jewelry in both mediums. Please also visit her Picasa Galleries to see more of her work.
FIBER
She works primarily in silk, creating bright scarves, clothing, ties, jewelry and wall hangings. Inspired by color and texture her goal is to create a three-dimensional quality in a two dimensional piece. Her work has been exhibited and received awards in numerous juried shows and sold in craft galleries nationwide. She has taught silk painting and other fiber workshops for years for Springwater Fiber Workshop and the Art League School in Alexandria, and several workshops for the Smithsonian American Art Museum at the Renwick Gallery. Check out her silks on her fiber web page
GLASS
Working with fused glass for more than 18 years, she was first attracted to glass like silk for the wonderful colors. But once she started working with glass she found it particularly exciting that there were infinite ways to manipulate it for different effects. She is enjoying exploring many of the various types of "warm glass" including fusing, casting, enameling, and beadmaking. She creates unique plates, platters and bowls as well as fountains and wall pieces. Lately she has concentrated on developing her unique “woven glass” wall pieces which were accepted into several shows and got her an invitation to have a small local museum show in 2010. She also recently completed several commissions including five glass walls in the World Bank Headquarters Building and a 16-piece installation for a new building in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Some of her commission work can be seen on her commission web page. Her glass work can be seen on her glass web page.
JEWELRY
She started experimenting with glass bead making (called lampworking) around 2000 and immediately got hooked. She enjoys making the beads because it is a relaxing, near-Zen experience. It has also given her a chance to combine her previous metalsmithing work with the beads to create her glass jewelry. The glass pieces perfectly complement the bright hand dyed silk clothing she creates in her studio. Her newest line of jewelry is called Fickle because it allows the user to purchase one pair of earrings and change the beads as needed. Her glass bead jewelry can be seen on her jewelry web page |
