The artist behind Volition Glass

My name is Emily Rodrigues and I have been captivated by glass my entire life. I grew up in Rhode Island where I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the glass department of Rhode Island school of Design in 2009. After college I worked in a variety of industries, but did not know exactly where my relationship with glass was meant to go. I worked for a glass tile company in Rhode Island and then moved to Eugene, Oregon where I learned to lampwork glass. At RISD I was trained in traditional Italian glassblowing, which requires a shop with a lot of large and expensive equipment, but with lampworking you need much less and can work out of a smaller space. Upon returning to the east coast in 2016 I obtained a small lampworking setup and began building my shop while working part time as a barista. I’ve been building it ever since and have found myself back in my home town in Rhode Island after spending almost a decade in the Berkshires of Massachusetts.

How I began working with glass

I knew from a young age that I wanted to be an artist, but I never knew which medium. I still dapple in just about everything from photography to wood working. In my teenage years my mother began nagging me to take a glassblowing class. She would tell me that I had to wait until I was 16 to get into the class but she just needed me to try it. I agreed to take the class if she would take it with me. Unfortunately, just before my sixteenth birthday she was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. She fought hard but lost the battle after 10 long months. I soon graduated high school and found myself still not willing to commit to a medium, so I started college as a business major. However, I did remember my mother’s nagging request for me to try glass blowing, so I enrolled in my first course that fall.

I like to tell people that it was truly love at first sight! I felt like my jaw dropped to the floor the first time I saw that molten glowing ball gathered out of the furnace. I remember thinking to myself that no matter what my future would entail, glass would be a part of it. I began filling out applications for RISD soon after that and was enrolled in the glass department by the next fall.

In looking back on my life, I realize now that glass was always calling to me. There were so many times as a child that this mysterious medium had completely entranced me. One particular memory is from when I was maybe 5 or 6 years old. My father had placed a few pieces of sheet glass in the backseat of our car in the seat next to me. He clearly explained to me how sharp the glass was and warned me not to touch it. Unlike most children, I knew better than to disobey this warning. I remember just staring into that blue green glow on the edge of the glass. It was like another universe existed in that space between the two flat surfaces. I needed to touch it. The warning of the sharp edge whispered to me as I slowly reached out and ran my finger down the glistening edge. I did not feel it cut me, but I remember being shocked to see the bright red blood begin to appear.

Why glass straws?

Why not glass straws? Since discovering my love of glass I have tried my best to fill all areas of my life with it. I use glass cups or mason jars for drinks. I have glass in every window of my home and probably on every shelf. Glass bowls and cups hold everything from my jewelry to my recipe cards. Straws seemed like a simple item to make when I realized that you can buy borosilicate glass tubing. I ordered some tubing and made my first glass straws in the summer of 2017. Since I was working at a cafe, I got several inquiries about my straws, so the spring of 2018 I started an Etsy shop.

Also, not only is plastic toxic, but its invention really hurt the glass industry. It is lighter weight so it costs less to ship and it is cheaper to produce. Remember when milk used to come in a glass bottle? If you are interested in reading about the history of plastic and how you are completely surrounded by it every day, check out the book Plastic Purge: How to Use Less Plastic, Eat Better, Keep Toxins Out of Your Body, and Help Save the Sea Turtles by Michael SanClements.

What led me to make Memorial Jewelry

A little background on me to explain some of what I believe led me to make memorial jewelry. I have always been fascinated with hearing people’s stories as well as telling my own. My favorite section of the library as a child was the biography section, and I strongly value the oral tradition of storytelling. I think this is part of what makes the idea of preserving someone’s memory in a physical object so rewarding for me. This object will be a permanent reminder of the person or pet it contains and so it creates another opportunity for the wearer to share their story. I have become a part of their story but also they are now part of mine. I love when people feel open enough to tell me about the life of the person whose ashes I will be working with, but do not feel obligated if you do not wish to do so.

I began working with cremated remains in 2016 when my mother-in-law lost her father. Jack was so beloved and missed that many members of his family wanted something to keep his memory alive and close to their hearts. I made several beautiful pieces for Jack’s family, many of which can be seen in the photos on this website. Although I had never made glass memorial art before, I had seen it done and it was a technique that I had contemplated trying for many years. The themes of memory and loss dominated my conceptual work through college. I not only lost my mother at age 16 but also my father to Parkinson’s Disease when I was 25, so I am no stranger to mourning. The opportunity to help preserve the memory of Jack in such a beautiful way for his family was such a tremendous honor for me. Creating these pieces for people fulfills not only my need to be creative but also a more spiritual longing to help others live with loss.