Today we’d like to introduce you to Linda Lupher.
Hi Linda, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I give so much credit to my mother. She has always been incredibly creative and talented. While she leaned more toward painting, she always had me doing crafts with her as I was growing up. Creativity has always been in my blood—that’s why I do what I do. I have a genuine need to create!
I’ve always been a DIYer, finding countless ways to use my imagination, but stained glass has been my true creative outlet. There’s something special about creating pieces that make others smile, whether they’re observers or buyers. I do far more than the traditional stained glass panels people usually think of—I love exploring new forms and ideas.
Stained glass wasn’t my first pursuit. While working in the corporate world, I took every craftsmanship course offered through their recreational program. I even took a jewelry-making class and created our wedding rings, which my husband and I still wear 40 years later!
In 1994, our daughter was born with special needs, and I became a stay-at-home mom. After her passing at age 13, I turned to stained glass as more than just a hobby—it became a healing outlet and a way to honor her memory. I started making butterfly pieces, and to this day, butterflies remain close to my heart.
Over the past four decades since that first class, my craft has evolved in so many ways. While I can’t say I have 40 years of uninterrupted experience, I’ve been creating steadily for nearly 20 years now. When I finally decided to brand myself, the name Busting Glass Creations came more as a joke—but then after all, that’s exactly what I do… I bust glass!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
For the most part, things go pretty smoothly because I get to work at my own pace. But recently, I became very frustrated with a stained glass project I was doing for our home. The stress it was giving me made we want to quit and find another creative outlet.
But I stuck with it—and I’m glad I did. In the end, I was really happy with how it turned out. The thing about glass is—it’s not forgiving. You can’t paint over an undesirable outcome or stretch it to make it fit.
And then there are the vendor shows—those can be unpredictable – need I say more?
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I refer to my art as ‘Creations’ because, while I do some traditional stained glass, I also love experimenting with other materials to make pieces that don’t necessarily belong in a window. I create 3D works in various themes—wind chimes made with fire-polished glass (which I fire myself) a similar technique I use to create glass faux stones that I use to make jewelry, kaleidoscopes featuring hand-painted clear glass coordinated with the trinkets in the wheel that I also assemble, and much more.
The projects that challenge me most are pet portraits—there’s a lot of pressure to get those right since they’re so personal.
I work in several stained glass methods, including copper foil, lead came, glass-on-glass, mosaic, and even restoration and repair. When a project calls for a custom base or structure, I do the building and woodworking myself as well.
I can’t say I specialize in just one area—there’s a lot of variety in my art, and I like it that way. As for being “known” for something, people often tell me I can do anything. Of course, that’s not true—but it does reflect the DIY spirit in me. I’m always willing to try something new.
What I’m most proud of is being invited into two art galleries—that, to me, is one of the highest compliments an artist can receive.
I think the variety that I offer sets me apart from others. Even though I do like the variety, I sometimes wish I could find my niche but that hasn’t happened yet.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
My creativity would have to be the most important quality and then my determination to do good work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Bustingglass.com
- Instagram: bustingglass
- Facebook: bustingglass
