Artist Bio of: Deborah J. Ripley, Glass Artist, Owner of Artist in Motion, LLC Topsham, Maine I have been a glass artist member at The Lemont Block Art and Antiques Collective, LLC since September 2021. My husband and I relocated from Demark, Maine, where I was an artist member at Gallery 302, located in Bridgton, for two years. We left our log home in the woods of Denmark to the incredible Mid Coast area to retire and live closer to my husband’s family. My formal education consists of receiving my Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Services in May 1996 and my Master of Science Degree in Human Service Administration from Springfield College in May 1998. My professional career started in June 1998 as a Community Health Educator and a Certified Professional Life Coach. I assisted women and their families with preventative health and wellness education. I also used art mediums to educate individuals on how to create wellness in their lives. I loved my career for more than twenty-five years presenting in different locations such as Maine, Rhode Island, and Washington, D.C. It was in 2018, living in Denmark, Maine, that I became interested in stained glass. At sixty years old, my friends encouraged me to make, the now famous, “bucket list” of things to do before I die. To my astonishment, stained glass topped my list! During my childhood, like many stained-glass artists on Sunday mornings, I was captivated by the incredible colorful stained-glass windows in our local church. I never imagined that I could create such incredible artwork for others to appreciate and even have my pieces displayed in a gallery during my retirement. My glass art is characterized by its vibrant colors, abstract forms, and flowing curves and arches. I take great pleasure in freestyling my designs and crafting patterns spontaneously. I particularly enjoy making large glass items such as a Maine Lake Trout or a striking, red-eyed loon. Many of my designs created with deep passion and are respresentation of memories or important events in my life. I create my glass art with the Tiffany Style Method employing copper foil and 60/40 lead solder. My creations include small and large window hangings, glass jewelry boxes, glass suncatchers, and wind chimes windchimes made of tumbled sea glass. I also incorporate decorative items in my designs such as glass beads, unique antique plates, agates, stones, and shells. In the Summer of 2023, I expanded my artistic repertoire to include pressing plants and flowers from my husband’s garden. These flower petal beauties are placed between two elegant glass bevels. The edges are sealed with the Tiffy Style Method of stained glass. These distinctive glass ornaments serve as remarkable keepsakes for holiday decorations. They also make lovely keepsakes for bridal flowers, or cherished flowers from a celebration of life preserving their beauty indefinitely. The Lemont Block Collective has been an exceptional home for me and my art. My fellow artists and colleagues, feel like family, offering each other support and encouragement for our creative endeavors and leadership in the Maine art community. We all strive to be unique in our artistic expression and to promote art in the lives of others. I hope you visit the Lemont Block Collective, locate at 150 Main Street in Brunswick, Maine. We have over twenty-five Maine makers of painters, fiber artists, glass artists, silver and gem jewelers, woodworkers, felters, a recycle artist of used materials both cloth and hard materials and so much more. We also have antiques and collectibles, wonderful glassware, funiture, and vintage albums. Every artist volunteers at the front desk so you get to meet the makers of the artwork we produce! Grab a cup of coffee from our next door neighbors and come on in for a relaxing stroll through a world of art!