Every so often I meet amazing people who create gorgeous goodies, and Genevieve Church is no exception! I met Genevieve at the Totally Blown Glassworks holiday sale, where she had a bunch of glittery glass-art pieces for sale (some of which I snapped up for some fantastic Christmas gifts).  I’ve been so enamored of these gorgeous finds, that I just HAVE to show you guys….

Let me introduce you to Genevieve’s project, Recycled Loot!

Art Glass Cluster Necklace in “Sky”

Genevieve’s been sculpting glass since 1997 and taught at the Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle before making Loot! her full-time job.  She’s paired up with three local glass artists in the area to recycle the fruits of their labor into gorgeous glass-art jewelry in ultra-bright, candy-colored hues.  Through Loot!, Genevieve reclaims glass destined for landfills and hand sculpts the pieces over a torch (a process known as flameworking) to create unique pendants of all sizes, shapes and colors, based on the original glass pattern.

Eclipse Necklaces

Of her art, Genevieve says,

I was helping another glass artist at a festival and a piece broke. I looked at the fragments of glass on the ground and thought, ‘It’s still so beautiful.’ A light went on and I knew I could find a way to rework the glass into jewelry and keep it out of landfills, because it’s un-recyclable by traditional curbside methods.
Because I work in Seattle’s fine art glass movement and do my best to live a “green” lifestyle, it just seemed natural to find a way to recycle this richly beautiful glass into its next incarnation.

Everything Genevieve uses is recycled, including her findings and her packaging material.  The pendant chains are all made of recycled sterling silver, when possible, and no extra work is done to the findings – reducing Loot!’s impact on the planet.   Through her “creative recycling awareness”, Genevieve and Loot! (and Loot!’s customers) are actively supporting the planet and local glass artists.

Loot! offers a line of gorgeous Eclipse disks as clusters and solitaire pendants in a variety of color families.

Eclipse Solitaire Pendant in “El Mundo”<

Genevieve offers earrings as well – either as single solitaire discs, or as double discs and the earring posts are all recycled, hammered sterling silver for those with even the most sensitive ears.

Double Disk Earrings in “Sol”

Loot also offers creative jewelry storage solutions – and I, myself, have been wanting one of the gorgeous, and ethereal little trees:

Leafy Tree

There are three different kinds of trees made from recycled glass and sandblasted for luminescence.  If you’re not sure about storing your jewelry on a glass tree, they also make gorgeous art pieces for your home.

The beauty of this glass art is found not only in it’s color and clarity, but in it’s durability after it’s annealed.  Delicate and eerie, these trees are perfect for hanging YOUR Loot! on. 

Genevieve is also an active glassworker at Mercurial Arts, where she works alongside her husband Michael. Her artist statement at Mercurial Arts declares:

Figurative sculpture in borosilicate glass is my passion and my work. I am drawn to the fluid, transformative qualities of molten glass, and the luminous light-catching abilities of finished glass pieces. I am most inspired by the forms of nature; the patterns of growth mirror the strivings of the human spirit.

In my work inspired by sea life, I aspire to capture the beauty of harmony and diversity found under the waves, particularly in coral reefs. Reefs are teeming with life, a worthy model for human interaction in our own crowded and diverse communities.

The beauty of harmony continues in my Buddhist inspired work. Leaves, vines and flowers symbolize spiritual transformation and particular tenants of meditative practice. I use color to indicate the mood or intention of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas I create.

If you have a chance to check out Genevieve’s work, please do so!  (She lists all her street-fairs and craft expos on her website if you want to know more)   All of her Eclipse necklaces and earrings make great gifts and stocking stuffers for any budget.  If you’re into DIY, the word on the street is that you can sometimes find Genevieve’s discs at Fusion Beads in Wallingford (Seattle).  I’ve not had a chance to verify this, but I can say she did offer single pendants at the Totally Blown Glassworks Holiday sale.

And, if you’re still looking for that perfect little gift for your girl friend or your mom, you can shop Genevieve’s stock of delicious glass treats at RecycledLoot.com.

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