Artist's Statement

Personal History ~
My given name is Vangeleen Becerra. My mother is German and Irish, my father was Nicodoche Indian (Caddo Nation) and Spanish. Guess that makes me a mutt. :-) I am a native of California and lived most of my youth in the Bay Area. However, from infancy to 10 years old I lived in Lakewood, Colorado and as my parents, three sisters and brother were all born in the Denver area and later returned there, my ties to the Rockies are nearly as strong as my ties to the Pacific.

Arriving to this place in time has been quite a journey.

When I was six years old I made my first embroidery stitch. I think that was the beginning of creating for me. Reading is one of my passions, filling my shelves with books and notes and my own patterns. At fourteen I started working part time in the high school library repairing books and also began working for a seamstress in my "spare" time sewing pleats in her lined drapes for Montgomery Wards customers. By sixteen I was typing legal documents, assisting a pro bono attorney's secretary and earning school credits along with my pay. My high school typing/steno teacher secured a job for me as the loan department secretary for Bank of America in old downtown Richmond. I started the Monday after I graduated and immediately acquired the "golden cuffs" - pay was always too good to care about college.

All of my life I have had an avid interest in learning about color, design and working in various mediums, though I never had time for art classes in high school. I believe my parents, Benjie and Joyce, had a big role in my creative side and innately taught me to see our natural kinship with the earth and nature - and about color inparticular. When Daddy was asked for his favorite color, he always said "green, because the mountains and the prairies and the trees are grass green in the spring." He was a cowboy and son of a farmer. I have another vivid memory of him about to bite into a plump tomato from our garden and saying "just look at this red! have you ever SEEN such a beautiful red?"; and our mother has always made our home gay and colorful with vases of flowers from the yard. In the early 60's I remember having a very modern and pretty pink and copper kitchen. Mom was my first teacher, has taught so many, and is still teaching others how to make "something pretty."  But my greatest teacher has been my daughter, my Camille. Since a small child, her natural and uninhibited artistic talents have strongly influenced the evolution of my own art, as only an innocent and objective artistic eye could do. When Camille was just a little girl she made for me my first color wheel.

I moved to Petaluma in 1984, a single mother of a 7 year old daughter, and began commuting to work in San Francisco. I worked for a small partnership with world famous clients, so desirable that we were welcomed into a prominent international litigation and corporate law firm, and moved to one of the top floors of Four Embarcadero. These years, 1985 to 2005, taught me many skills that have had a huge role in the development of our business.

Glass History ~
In July 1994 I cut my first piece of glass. It was like stepping from a dim room into the light. All of the pieces fit, truly, and every pun intended. Though my initial instruction was in a group of 25 to 1 teacher, I was determined to learn everything I could and began designing small things like sun catchers and jewelry. Thoroughly encouraged by many, I established Aurora Colors in July 1996, providing custom designed stained glass windows for homes and businesses. My designs were built in my half of the garage (I loved my little studio), while maintaining my 9 to 5 job in San Francisco. My lifelong experiences had prepared me for applying long known rules to this medium I love. My husband, Lyndon Pullins, joined me in 2002 and by February, 2004 we opened our retail store in Petaluma. In August 2005 I finally "retired" from my city job, taking the leap to practice my art and manage this business full time with Lyndon.

Designing has always been something I love to do, long before I became an art glass designer. Most glass art I have made are in someone's home or business. My style leans toward art nouveau and my subjects are often mystical or spiritual. Symbolism is prominent in many of my designs, as are jewels and crystals. I have created many nature scenes, traditional, Victorian or abstract designs - what the customer requests, I research thoroughly and try do their vision better than they imagined.

I'm sure I will spend the rest of my life learning about glass. Though accomplished in most stained glass techniques, designing and creating leaded or mosaic stained glass provide the most pleasure. My favorite procedure in creating stained glass art is designing and selecting the glass - they are one, to me. Second, I love to solder, and again I was fortunate to learn my technique from an elderly gentleman who was a regular visitor to PZAZ Studio known to me as "Uncle Ed."  He was a master, taught me how to make my first lamp and box as well - for free, just sharing his skills with anyone eager to learn. Later I studied various warm glass techniques with Dan Fenton. Dan is world-renowned in the glass world and is truly a "walking glass encyclopedia" and a master of many of the glass arts. Though I have not had a formal education in art, I have learned my skills from some of the very best. As far as my designing and artistic talents, you must judge for yourself.

I like to think my glass art may become heirlooms. In all of my designs I try to create a likeness to the image in my mind by thoughtful use of the unique visual properties in the glass and how it reflects light. When I look around me, whether it's the hills, or the bay, or a pot of flowers, I always notice the light or lack of and I often ponder how I might be able to create that light or shadow, that color or texture in glass. Or more accurately, I ask myself which glasses and techniques would I need to employ to similate THAT in a design. My passion for creating stained glass art is what initially inspired me to offer you Aurora Colors, the dawn's colors, in glass.

A friend and client, Tami Lewis Benson, once told me, "I'm very interested to see how your right brain and left brain will come together, what you will do with both together." That was in late 2000. Aurora Colors is "what I have done." Seems it will never be finished.

~ Vangie Pullins

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Art Education:
1994    Traditional Stained Glass Intro, Libby Kirk, Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa, CA
1994    Design & Construction, Sherri Pierce, Pzaz Studio, Petaluma, CA
1995    3-Dimensional Stained Glass, Sherri Pierce, Pzaz Studio, Petaluma, CA
1996    Painting & Staining on Glass, Dan Fenton, Fenton Glass Studio, Oakland, CA
1997    Pate de Verre & Kiln Casting, Dan Fenton, Fenton Glass Studio, Oakland, CA
1999    Introduction to Glass Fusing, Dan Fenton, Fenton Glass Studio, Oakland, CA
2000-2001    Metal Art I, San Francisco State, San Francisco, CA
2004    Beginning Bead Making, Michelle Mitcavish at Aurora Colors
2005    Precious Metal Clay I, Camille Torres at Aurora Colors
2007    Mold Making, Dan Fenton at Aurora Colors

Attended in Las Vegas, NV:
2003    Making Glass Mosaic Portraits, David Ward, Ph.D., Ward Glass Mosaic, Chicago, IL
2003    Hot & Wired Wire Wrapping, Linda Abbott, Linda Abbott Studios, Ogden, UT
2003    Art Clay Silver Jewelry Making, Jackie Truty, Pretty Wild Designs, Oak Lawn, IL
2003    Patisserie de Verre (kiln forming), Charissa Brock, Bullseye Glass Co., Portland, OR
2005    Mastering Mosaics - Liquifusion, Robin Evans, Glowing Panels Studio, Sedona, AZ
2005    Glass Carving Revealed, Norm & Ruth Dobbins, Professional Glass Consultants, Santa Fe, NM
2005    Gold Leafing on Etched & Carved Glass, Norm & Ruth Dobbins

Community Involvement:
Art and Garden Festival, Chair/Juror for artist submissions - 2006 & 2007
Petaluma Arts Association - President 2007-2008, Secretary 2005-2006
Petaluma's Youth Art Contest for Sesquicentennial - 2007/2008
Petaluma’s Sesquicentennial (150th) Celebration in 2008; Sesquicentennial Steering Committee 2005-2008

Noteworthy Accomplishments:
“Rivertown Rainbow Bridge Memorial” to Bar Ale, Petaluma (1959-2000)
A memorial to the Petaluma Bar Ale, birds and animals that came to such a tragic end by fire on October 29, 2000. Internal skylight mural approximately 11 feet by 6 feet, installed at Rivertown Feed & Pet Country Store on 1st Street in Petaluma in March, 2003. This mural skylight is my largest work. Leaded and foiled stained glass with painted details, faceted jewels, and the sun and rays were silver stained a pale yellow and kiln fired. It is a great honor to have my art become a part of this community's history and I will always be thankful to the owners of Rivertown for their faith in my abilities and to my Lyndon, who "cut his teeth" one could say by greatly assisting with the construction and installation of these panels.