Welcome to Figurehead Glass

My name is Sarah Hamilton-Parker, and I have been working in stained glass professionally for 6 years. For the past three years, I have been teaching at Franklin Pierce University, where I instruct students in Stained Glass I, II, III, IV, and independent studies. My students learn copper foil technique, leaded panels, some repair, traditional glass painting, fusing, and slumping. Picture_618.jpg

 
I began at home, watching my mother, Melanie Hamilton, otherwise known as Hamilton Glass, work in her home studio, making windows. I was fascinated by the molten river that was solder, gliding onto the foil, and struck by the colors and light from the windows when they were finished. Our house, through her efforts and hard work, has always been filled with these gems, but I did not notice them in that capacity until much later.

I started out in college at the University of Maine at Machias, as a Marine Biology major, but was quickly awakened to the fact that I did not like being cold, wet, and seasick. So I started taking "fun" classes: Voice, Acting, and Art. Then I realized that was where my path went, so I transferred to what was then Franklin Pierce College, and started focusing in Fine Art.

I studied Drawing, Painting, Watercolor, Glassblowing, Oriental Brush Painting, Photography, Sculpture, and Stained Glass. I quickly became a Teacher's Assistant to William Jenisch, the professor of Photo and Stained Glass. I worked for three years, graduated Magna Cum Laude, and then went to work for Martha's Vineyard Glassworks as an Assistant Gallery Manager. At that time I also was fortunate enough to take a glass painting course with the famous glass painter, Richard Millard. After that, I left for Italy.

In Siena, Italy, at a studio called Vetrate Artistiche Toscane, I studied more glass techniques, refined my skills, and when I returned home, was offered a job as the Adjunct Faculty for Stained Glass.

I am very fortunate to have had this experience, which has allowed me to further my education, deepen my experience, and provide me with a lifetime of inspiration. I am now at a place in my life where I will leave Franklin Pierce University shortly, and in the meantime I have moved back to my family home in order to work on more art. I am currently making work for galleries and doing repairs of a church in Bethlehem. I also just recently received the First prize in Crafts at the Littleton Art Show, and with the prize money and other business savings, am trying to buy my kiln soon. Donations are greatly appreciated.

The Next Big Move:
My boyfriend Brian and I are looking for a house in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where Figurehead Glass will finally set up shop, and start working in a custom made studio. I can't wait until then...

Thank you for visiting my site, please look for my work at:

The White Mountain Artisan's Gallery:
http://www.whitemountainartisansgallery.com

The Sharon Arts Center: http://www.sharonarts.org 

Please also visit my Etsy site, where many works including glass, books, and watercolors are on sale:
http://figureheadglass.etsy.com

I hope you have enjoyed your look at my work, come back soon!

Sarah Hamilton-Parker
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