Cindi Allen’s parrot glass fusion piece won two awards at the Delphi Glass Art Expo in Lansing, Michigan.
Cindi Allen had no intention of submitting any of her glass fusion creations to a competition.
However, members of the Rohan Glass Fusion Club persuaded her to enter a colorful parrot she had produced.
She submitted the piece to the Art Glass Festival, which was conducted in April at the Delphi Creativity Center in Lansing, Michigan. This company provides the majority of the group’s glass.
“Everybody was looking at it and said, ‘Hey, you need to enter this into the contest,’” said Allen, of the Village of Chatham. “I got talked into it.”
Polly the fused parrot, for example, has a hazy blue backdrop with green, yellow and blue feathers and is perched on a tree branch.
Allen’s sister-in-law brought the parrot up to Michigan in March, so he wouldn’t have to worry about shipping it.
In the judge’s choice category, the parrot placed fourth, and in the people’s choice category, it placed first.
Allen’s parrot was even purchased by the center to be displayed in the store. In July, she wanted to see the item in the store.
“They don’t buy a lot of pieces,” Allen said. “That was quite the honor.”
One of the Rohan Glass Fusion Club members recommended Delpho’s Facebook page for the judge’s choice prize. Allen received a call from Delphi regarding the people’s choice prize.
“I was over-the-hill excited,” Allen said. “I’ve never entered anything before. I didn’t expect to win. There are a lot of amazing artists out there. I was on cloud nine for a week or two. I still am.”
For the past four years, Allen has been fusing glass to create art. Allen worked as a hair stylist and was searching for a hobby that would allow her to express herself creatively. She became the group’s leader about three months after joining the Rohan Glass Fusion Club.
“I liked just the creativity of it,” Allen said. “You can do so many different things. It’s not a super easy art, but it’s an art a lot of people can do. It has the satisfaction level that I used to get with fun hairdos. You don’t have to stay within the lines. You’re allowed to explore any way you want to explore.”
Allen has created a wide range of items, including jewelry, kitchenware, wall art, picture frames and sun catchers.
“You don’t have to be exact,” Allen said. “You put your own personality into them. It’s like putting a giant puzzle together.”
A mermaid with stringy hair is one of her favorite items.
“She’s got a great personality,” Allen said. Allen isn’t fully eliminating the possibility of future competitions.
“I’m not sure if I would build a piece specifically (for a contest),” she said. “I just go with the flow. If it’s something that’s worthy, I may submit it.”
– Attributed Source, The Villages Daily Sun