Erin Dixon

Where do you live: Greater Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 
Your education: Degrees in Communications & Theatre.
Your discipline: Stained Glass.
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What inspired you to work with stained glass as your primary medium, and how does it allow you to express the themes of vulnerability and strength?

I remember learning that when lightning strikes sand it can make glass. Cementing that intense moment in time fascinated me. Since then, I’ve learned that glass has qualities of both a liquid and a solid (an amorphous solid) so the scientist part of my brain gets excited by glass as much as my artist brain. I think it’s trying to achieve this balance that feeds into my approach to glass – strength and vulnerability, science and art, overall exploring the fluidity of the elements. More and more I want to explore larger pieces, meaning my work will need to be structurally sound, but I want to push the limits of what I can create, heading into that space of vulnerability. It’s always possible that a piece of glass you’ve selected and started working with may break throughout the process – the best is when you’re first cutting the pattern and the worst, as you finish cleaning the piece. Finding a balance of commitment to the artwork and the flexibility of allowing things to happen as they will is an approach I also try to incorporate into daily life.

Erin Dixon | Juniper | 2024

Stained glass is often associated with historical and religious settings. How do you approach making it more accessible to everyday life, as described in your statement?

I want people to experience beautiful glass artwork outside of a religious context. There’s no reason to keep its storytelling possibilities exclusive to religious teachings. Your home, your office, your studio, a tool shed – anything can be brightened up with colored glass.

You mention wanting to make stained glass more relatable and approachable. How do you think art can impact daily life, and what role do you see your work playing in that process?

Cultivating the ability to see beauty in your everyday life is a skill. I appreciate the opportunity to fill my home with color and beauty, so I try to share as many art pieces with loved ones as I can. I enjoy the idea of the piece becoming a part of their home. I grew up around artwork created by my grandmother – little did I know that years before I was born she made the stained glass suncatchers displayed throughout their house. In the same way, I like the idea of our sons growing up around my artwork and always try to encourage them creatively.

Erin Dixon | Reno | 2024

Could you share more about the creative process behind one of your recent stained glass works? How do you balance the use of color, line, and light in your designs?

I worked on “Reno” for a year from inspiration to completion. A lot went into the planning and execution, I definitely learned a lot along the way through trial and error. I even made a prototype of just her to check the glass I had chosen for the hat (I’m glad I did). Balancing the composition, I knew I wanted a distant landscape to complement the close foreground of her glove. The red glass I chose reminded me of the Southwest, where I had imagined the setting of this piece. Also, I knew I wanted the left side to be much more simple in comparison to the details I would bring out on the right.

Erin Dixon | Gray Feather | 2024

Can you talk about a specific project where your work has been integrated into a public or personal space? How did people react to it?

“Reno” is scheduled to hang in Steel City Coffeehouse & Brewery in Phoenixville, PA from Nov 2024 through Jan 2025 and I couldn’t be more excited. This is the second time I’ve been able to showcase my work in this way and I’m thrilled by the opportunity.

Erin Dixon | Chestnut Pony | 2024

Do you have any influences or inspirations from other art forms or artists that have shaped your approach to stained glass?

Everything is inspiration – I run through art museums because I can’t absorb everything quickly enough. I try to keep my mind open to everything I can, snapping pictures or screenshots to preserve what presents itself to me. I recently categorized inspirational photos from the past year into a separate folder – the total was over a thousand photos. I know I’ll be adding more for sure – Life has so much to see.