Peppermint Creek Collective: Soleil by Design

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Soleil by Design

Terri Rodriguez, Stained Glass Artist

PCC: Tell us a little about yourself:

SBD: My name is Terri Rodriguez. I am the mother of three beautiful, talented daughters and two wonderfully gifted step sons. I've lived my whole life in a small alpine town in Northern California, at the base of a beautiful, snow covered volcano. It was the perfect place to raise my daughters and inspire my artistic side...the gorgeous view of the mountain always within sight. Although I did move from there, (a little farther south), a few years ago, my heart and inspiration will always be found in that picturesque little town...my home town.

PCC: What do you create?
SBD: I create stained glass panels, 3D candle holders and other 3D items, favors (for weddings and other occasions), and ornaments.

PCC: What made you want to become an artist/fall in love with your craft?

Blue Lavender Butterfly

SBD: As long as I can remember, I have had a love of art and color, often doodling or drawing in my spare time.
For the most part, I have taught myself to paint with oils on canvas, create gumpaste flowers, folk art painting, wood cut outs, and stained glass. It is with stained glass that I found a love creating my own designs, and the way sunlight (or any light) plays through the different textures and many beautiful colors of the glass.

PCC: What is your process? What materials do you use?
SBD: To create my pieces, I begin with an idea. I turn that idea into a design and that design becomes pattern pieces. I use the pattern pieces to cut out each piece of glass, then grind the edges of the glass. Next, I use copper foil to wrap each edge, burnish the foil onto the glass, and assemble the item by soldering the patterns pieces together. Before soldering, a chemical called flux is brushed along the edges of the copper foil. The flux allows the solder to adhere to the foil, essentially joining each piece together with solder. Finally, I clean and polish each piece before it is ready for sale. Every item is handmade, individually.

Wedding Dress Favor

PCC: What are you passionate about outside of your art?
SBD: I am very passionate about my family. My children and my husband are my greatest passions. Family is most important to me, and friends who are family. I also love animals and nature and I am happiest when I am in the sunshine, out in nature. Specifically, I love hiking, long walks, riding bikes, and watching Gilmore Girls marathons with my daughters.

PCC: Anything else we should know?
SBD: I am so very thankful to Etsy, fellow Etsy artists, and Etsy teams for the opportunities and education to help promote and sell my art.

PCC: How do we find you?
www.etsy.com/shop/SoleilByDesign

Other designs from Terri that we love: