The Art of Seeing the World Through Glass
Through kiln-formed glass and stained glass, Martha Morales Purucker has found in transparency a way to transform ideas, memories, and experiences into color, texture, and light. Her work comes from a personal fascination with glass and from the desire to show that this material can be a tool for telling stories and expressing oneself in unconventional ways. That vision takes shape in Glassville TN, the studio she has built in Nashville as a space for creation, learning, and community. Below, we delve into Martha’s artistic journey, her projects, and her effort to make her way into Nashville’s art scene.
Angélica Trujillo [AT]: How did your relationship with glass begin? Do you remember the moment when you knew this would be your artistic medium?
Martha Morales Purucker [MMP]: My relationship with glass started purely by chance, destiny, coincidence, or whatever you want to call it. One day I walked into the art studio of the person who introduced me to glass, Betty Turney Turner (she was the one who taught me everything), and she invited me to create with glass. And I never left the glass studio again. I learned kiln-formed glass and stained glass. We clicked right away, and just two weeks after meeting her, she invited me to help her and learn from her. I knew glass was going to be my artistic medium instantly, as soon as I cut glass for the first time and saw what I could do with it. At that moment, as I like to say: “Once you cross over to the dark side of glass, there’s no way back.”
AT: Before discovering glass, did you explore other disciplines or forms of artistic expression?
MMP: Actually, I went to Colegio Superior de Gastronomía in Mexico City to earn my degree in Gastronomy, which is known here as a Bachelor in Culinary Arts and Food and Beverage Management. I worked for many years at the Gaylord Hotel in banquets. I spent my last few years there working in pastry; that’s where I kept my creativity active for many years. Then I stayed home for a few years with my children; life in the culinary world is difficult with little ones. During those years, I dedicated myself to learning many things: crocheting, painting, using a sewing machine, gardening; my creativity expressed itself in every part of my life. My dad tells me that ever since I was little, I was always looking for something to create, something to learn; I was always getting myself in trouble at school for being so creative. Haha!
AT: You were born and raised in Mexico City, and now you are developing your career in Nashville. How do these two experiences speak to each other in your work? Are your Mexican roots still present in the way you create?
MMP: My Mexican roots are always in everything; they are one hundred percent my identity. The story I tell through my art is not always focused on my Mexican roots, and even though I create it, it doesn’t look Mexican or have a Mexican theme; however, the way I create art is always influenced by my subconscious, which is full of colors, textures, images, flavors, and love for my homeland. My sense of humor is very Mexican, and many times that is reflected in what I create. I feel that my art is not thematically cohesive, and I dedicate myself to creating whatever comes to my mind. That’s why many times people don’t notice where my inspiration comes from. Mexico will always be present in everything I do, in the stories I tell, and in the traditions and influences that I love to share.
AT: In addition to being a studio, Glassville TN is also a space for gathering and learning. What does building community through art mean to you?
MMP: Building, being part of, and continuously working to help grow the glass art community within the artistic community means everything to me; art and the studio are on my mind 24/7. Obviously, I share my brain, my heart, and my soul with many other aspects of my life. But being part of this entire artistic world means that the people around me can see how incredible it is to create with glass, the incredible things that you can create. Being able to have the option to create with glass and be part of this community, where for many years people saw glass more as a craft than as a technique for creating art. My constant battle is to make people see that glass is an art form through which we can express ourselves in ways that are not usual.
AT: What has the experience of working with people who had never had any contact with glass before taught you?
MMP: I love seeing the expressions on their faces when they see their finished projects. That look of disbelief on their faces is one of my greatest satisfactions. Or when a client sees their finished piece for the first time, and they see the beauty of the glass, knowing that they are happy with the art that was created. I love helping translate the ideas that clients or students have for their glass creations; it’s not easy, because with glass you can’t mix colors, transparencies, or create textures in the moment; you have to use different types of glass and have a pretty wide selection of glass to be able to meet their ideas. It has also taught me that every person is a world of their own, and I learn so much from people; I love seeing and getting to know their creativity, and I love seeing how they interpret their world in glass.
AT: Glassville TN is beginning a new chapter in a new space. What does this change represent for you, and what new possibilities does it open up for the project?
MMP: Moving into the new space at Studio 615 means growth. The way I arrived at this new and magnificent space was not easy. I received the news that the building where my art studio was, full of materials, tools, and art, had been temporarily closed, with no reopening date, and we would only have access to it to take our things out. It took me weeks to slowly go in and get what I needed; I had no studio, no space to teach classes, create, or work on my business. The following months were about adapting; in the end, I found a permanent space at Studio 615, after moving several times and using temporary spaces to teach classes or meet with clients. Being settled now at Studio 615 means survival; it means not giving up; it means continuing to grow. And I am super grateful to all the beautiful people who helped me during those very difficult months. Now it’s our turn to keep growing. The possibilities of the studio are about always being open to the good things that are coming. As the good old Chicharito says: “Let’s imagine incredible things!”
AT: What has been the biggest challenge in turning your artistic practice into a business and maintaining it in a city like Nashville, known primarily for the musical arts?
MMP: The biggest challenge has been making myself known in a city where my name was not known and where the main focus is music. Trying to put my art in front of the people in Nashville and stay active in the art circle, in a city known mainly for the musical arts. In a city that lives from music, opening spaces for other forms of art, like glass, is part of the challenge and also part of the opportunity. Telling people that kiln-formed glass is an incredible art form, very different from the other forms of glass. Or that stained glass is still alive, that you can create and install it to bring color to a space. Another challenge is finding people who truly believe in you and are there to support you. I am extremely grateful to have found these people. Rents in Nashville are so high that it is super difficult to find a space within our budget. I am extremely grateful to have found my space at Studio 615. Time management is also a constant challenge, between creating, teaching, attending to clients, managing the business, and taking care of my family; it is difficult to find time to rest. And transportation: I don’t drive, and Nashville does not have functional public transportation for all areas of the city, so moving around with materials, tools, and pieces is a daily challenge.
AT: For those who have never worked with glass, what is the process of creating a piece, from the initial idea to the final result?
MMP: First, you have to put the idea into a design on paper or on your iPad. Drawing that idea is super important because you have to translate it into glass. Glass has to be cut in a specific way; there are certain angles that are impossible to make in glass, even if you have machines that cut glass; those 90-degree angles create fragile glass that can eventually develop fractures. I mean, I cut all my glass by hand, and I don’t use any laser or water-pressure machines. The design also changes a lot between kiln-formed glass and stained glass; they are two completely different things; you have to have very clear ideas to define these processes. Then you have to choose the glass. People have a romantic idea of glass: glass they have seen while traveling, in their churches, or at their grandparents’ houses. A lot of that glass is no longer produced, or it is extremely expensive. Pink, red, and orange glass are extremely expensive. So you have to manage the expectations of students and clients when it comes to this. For kiln-formed glass, you need a glass kiln. Glass specifically made for kiln forming; I use COE 96 because of its coefficient of expansion. Kiln-formed glass cannot be mixed with anything else, because it becomes incompatible and breaks or explodes. It is super important that you never mix it; this goes for any glass that is going to be exposed to high temperatures. Molds and other materials are also used to create unique shapes. For stained glass, you can use pretty much any type of glass you prefer, just nothing thinner than 3 millimeters. Copper is used, and everything has to be soldered with lead; afterward, it has to be framed in a way that makes it strong and allows it to last for many, many years.
AT: What part of the process do you enjoy the most as an artist, and which part tends to be the biggest challenge for people taking your classes for the first time?
MMP: I really enjoy the design process and discovering how to create the vision in my mind in glass. That experimentation, learning, discovery—I love it. And seeing the final result of my vision. I love seeing that transformation from an idea into a piece of art. Many times that vision changes throughout the process, and seeing that transformation gives me a lot of satisfaction. Something that is very unknown about glass, especially kiln-formed glass, is that it is super unpredictable; you never know how it is going to come out of the kiln. For the students who come, the biggest challenge is the expectations they come with. Stained glass requires a lot of work, and cutting glass requires practice and patience. But at the end of the class, their creations often exceed their expectations.
AT: If a young Latino person living in Nashville who dreams of pursuing a career in the arts were to read this interview, what advice would you give them?
MMP: I would tell them to dare to do it. Like they said in Mexico this year during the World Cup: “¿Y si sí?” (Literally, “What if yes?” The English translation doesn’t quite capture the meaning; it could be understood as “What if it works out?”) Glass is a super rewarding art form; it requires a lot of work, but at the end of the day, you can achieve something incredible. And glass can be incorporated into other art disciplines; I really like that. We don’t have to live inside a box. There is a whole world of glass to discover; you can discover it at Glassville TN. And not just young people; everyone, no matter their age. It is never too late to embark on a new adventure, and what better adventure than something brilliantly beautiful like glass.
AT: When you imagine Glassville TN ten years from now, how would you like to see it?
MMP: In ten years, I would love to see Glassville TN in a space ten times bigger, with a much larger number of students and glass art all over the city. With more specialized tools and with the space and tools necessary to bring renowned glass teachers from all over the world to teach classes in Nashville. With a glass store and everything needed to create. Full of my art or the art of many glass artisans. Ah, and also making ourselves known in other countries around the world. How incredible would it be to be able to teach classes in Mexico and Canada.
The future of Glassville continues to be built in Nashville. Martha invites anyone who wants to get closer to the world of glass to visit the studio and take her stained glass and kiln-formed glass classes—also available in Spanish—or simply stop by to talk about art.
Her work can also be found in different places around the city. Among them is Path to A Higher Note, a community sculpture located on the grounds of the Centennial Art Center. The piece was created alongside her teacher, Betty Turney-Turner, and other artists to commemorate Juneteenth and recognize the role of the arts in Nashville’s African American community.
To learn more about her creations, in Martha’s words, her “glass mischief and adventures,” as well as to keep up with upcoming projects that will enter the public space, you can follow @glassvilletn on Instagram or visit glassvilletn.com.
“¿Y si sí creamos arte en vidrio?” (What if we do create art with glass?)
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Dissecting music.
That’s such a beautiful way to describe her process. The layering of color and light in kiln-formed glass really does create something magical.