NIGHT SWIMMER



Dream with me of swimming across a soft warm lake on a still summer night. We are gliding through iridescent water that parts seamlessly and breaks silently as it flows gently over us. The essence of the night provides a profound solitude and we are enfolded in the soft velvet of the dark sky. Swim toward the tranquil shore that beckons you closer with its piny scent.

I spent my youth working at summer camps in the Muskokas. These were the places that taught me to enjoy, not fear, water at night. The kiln fired, painted pieces are block prints I hand carved out of memories of those nocturnal adventures. Those three little paintings sat on a shelf, for months, waiting for their destiny. One day I was listening to an REM disc and singing along to “Nightswimming”, as I was shifting some large pieces of glass around, I came upon a lovely midnight blue, iridescent glass that I had been saving for something special. Suddenly I saw the whole piece, “Night Swimmer”,in my mind. There were glass pieces perfect for the swimmer and the night sky. Those blue glass pieces had all been bought because I loved them each for their inherent beauty, but I had no idea what I would do with them. I believed that someday all would be revealed to me if I just waited for the right time. “Night Swimmer” has become one of the most satisfying pieces I have ever made.