About

Sarah A. Nelson studied Art at Northern Illinois University receiving her Bachelor of Arts in 1990 with emphases in Visual Communications and Photography. Sarah has held many jobs utilizing her technical skills including book designer while maintaining a presence in the fine arts community. After relocating from Chicago to Albuquerque in 2000 she began to work in glass. Sarah creates kilnworked painterly abstract glass art that are birthed from inspiration related to natural and scientific themes. Sarah has shown work nationally and has completed professional residencies at Pilchuck Glass School in Washington state, North Lands Creative in Scotland, and Geogia O'Keeffe's Ghost Ranch in New Mexico. Dedicated to the creation of glass art and critical thinking about the discipline, she serves on the board of Glass Alliance-New Mexico and holds the position of Communications Chair. Sarah also serves on the education committee for the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass FIRED UP! program. Sarah is devoted to teaching others about art glass, its history, and ties to the local New Mexico culture via lectures and hands on workshops. Her charge inspires others to promote the awareness and appreciation of the medium. She teaches glass jewelry making for CNM Ingenuity at Central New Mexico Community College's FUSE Makerspace. 

“I think of my work as inventories of compositional lines and shapes inspired by my drawings, paintings, and photographs. Influenced by daily visuals seen in our landscapes and buildings I create abstract work that captures the essence of these elements that seem to stay with me and shape my body of work. While exploring planet earth I become a collector of visuals saved for future use. In the studio these elements gain energy and take form. Using layers of translucent and opaque glass with the tools of a painter, I construct improvisational works that are schematic in design and invite the viewer to move into a space of speculation.”