The creation of this piece has spanned over 600 miles and more than 6 months. When my client reached out in March, I told him I was no longer accepting commissions since we were moving and I was getting ready to pack my studio to relocate from New Jersey to North Carolina. He explained he wasn’t in a rush and that he really wanted a special piece that he could give to his niece. I love making custom gifts so after we discussed it, I told him I’d be happy to create it but had no idea how long it would take until it was completed. We worked through some important decisions before I left— the most significant being how to create the piece to reflect his niece’s vibrant style. Additionally, since he wasn’t sure if it would be hung on a wall or in a window, I wanted the glass to look great with or without light coming through it. The background glass surrounding the Hebrew letters was selectively cut from one sheet of glass that had a lot of different colors within it. It also was striated so I was able to achieve a lot of energy from arranging it in different directions but since it was all from the same sheet, the colors were harmonious and balanced. Before we left New Jersey, I packed it up snugly and it traveled in the car with me and stayed wrapped up until I was able to carve out a small space to finish soldering it and completing the finishing touches. When he received it, he sent me a lovely email and told me he will share what his niece says when he gives it to her. This was the first glass art I was able to create in North Carolina and it has made me even more excited to get back to work. Much more to come!