Today we’d like to introduce you to Karla Walz.
Karla, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Years ago, as a college freshman, I majored in art. I loved it, but at that time, was encouraged to choose a career path that I could ‘support myself’ on. So, as the years went by, I always sketched, read and would try and see as much art as possible.
As a young wife and mother of two, I took a stained glass class and knew I had found an art form that I not only loved but that was so incredibly challenging on so many levels. And as a mother of two young girls, knew it wasn’t the best time to have all the components of doing this type of art around the house. Fast forward to our move to Texas and low and behold, a neighbor did stained glass and asked me if I’d like a crash course – I was thrilled. After a few hours spent working with her, I came home and told my husband I was ready to dive in. I acquired a few basic tools to get started with and would place a large board over the top of my washer and dryer as my worktable. As I became more involved in the art of stained glass, it was quite apparent I needed space so took over our guest room. It has remained my studio ever since ( and living in Texas, I am beyond happy to have air conditioning!).
I started making small, colorful crosses and other types of sun catchers-I worked at a shop and the store owner allowed me to hang them in the window and try and sell them, which I did. After building up some inventory, I started entering some local event and shows. It was at these events, that I met so many people with the same love of stained glass as I and was able to get private commissions. As the years have gone by, I have found a few things that I love doing and that continue to get attention: vintage bottles with toppers and geode wine glasses. These two items have been a mainstay of my inventory and continue to do well at shows and art events.
The vintage bottles each tell a story themselves – I try and use ones that have raised writing on the bottle as then research what time period it had come from. From there, it gets topped with chandelier crystals or other natural stones mixed in. They make beautiful additions to home decor.
The geode wine glasses were ‘born’ from two loves-geodes and wine! I adhere the geode slice to the center of the wine glass, surround it with a mix of glass beads and seal everything. They make fun gift or addition to a tablescape.
I still do commissions and through social media, can get the word out on what I’m working on at the moment.
Has it been a smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road and one of the most difficult tasks was (and still is) getting my work out there. Social media has made it a bit easier, but ideally, it would be great to have a place where others could see your work.
Some of the struggles have been trying to figure out what will sell – as much as I want to create the art that is in my head, the reality is, I need to also sell things. The cost of raw materials has increased so much since I first started which has also been a challenge as far as pricing.
As much as I wanted to be a full-time artist, I was also a mom, wife, daughter… so life does take over and you have to be all those things to all those people. I have recently connected with other artists and it seems we all deal with the same issues-there never seems to be enough time!
Along with the time issue, is upon entering some of the events I have, it can be very frustrating going in thinking it is a juried event and turns out to not be. It is a lot of hard work to get booths set up and basically erect a small store for a day or two to find out the organizers allow other ‘types’ of vendors in that are not handmade artists. But as it goes, you live and learn and eventually find the correct place for your art.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Kuklebean’s Creative Glass story. Tell us more about the business.
My business is a grassroots, home based company. Creating unusual and interesting pieces of art is the central mission, but to also create things that are more readily available and affordable to the general public is important.
As far as what I do, I am currently producing geode wine glasses for the catalog company, Uncommon Goods. Through having a shop on Etsy, Uncommon Goods found my geode glasses, so I created a version of the glasses that will be exclusive and available through their online store. And this would have to be my most proud moment as well. As an independent artist, the ultimate goal is to have someone ‘find’ your work and be as excited about what you do as you are. So, after being ‘found’, it has given me some kind of credentials to stand on.
What sets me apart from others, is the ability to not only visualize a concept but to put that concept into reality. The quality of workmanship is also crucial and another reason I feel that sets me apart from others.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The industry of stained glass is a difficult type of art, not only for the artist themselves but also suppliers. As raw materials continue to increase, it may affect the number of artists pursuing this vein of the art world. But that being said, it is due to the increasing ‘rarity’ of the art, that makes it more desirable.
It’s important to have a finger on the pulse of what is happening in color trends, decor trends to continue to be current in today’s world. Some of the older homes have had stained glass windows and homeowners are moving back to have that look to maintain the originality of the home. My hope is that in the next 5-10 years, people will continue to appreciate the unique beauty of stained glass and continue to utilize it in their homes.
Pricing:
- For commissions, I price at $125/square foot-this includes design, glass, and finish.
Contact Info:
- Address: Kuklebean’s Creative Glass
3616 Wolcott Drive
Flower Mound, TX 75028 - Website: www.kuklebeans.com
- Phone: 214-762-5323
- Email: kuklebeans@gmail.com
- Instagram: kuklebeans
- Facebook: Kuklebean’s Creative Glass
- Twitter: kleiwalz
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
