Lifestyle

Hill Country Artist: Intrepid Deb Wight

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Tony Maples Photography

 

“I love being different. I do shows all over the country, from New Mexico to Florida, and people tell me they’ve never seen anything like it.” Deb’s glass is not the stained glass you are familiar with; while the glass is translucent, just a little light gets through it. The designs are laid on top of hand-cut birch covered with a layer of copper. Birds are her favorite subject, but she creates flowers, hearts, and even abstract shapes, too. Her favorite piece was commissioned for the Intrepid.

The final glass pieces were placed by these people.

Intrepid being finished by patients and caregivers

Photo: Deb Wight Studios

Deb got a call from the San Antonio-based Center for the Intrepid at the Brook Army Medical Center last year asking her to design and build a glass piece for the 10th anniversary. At first, she was inclined not to take the job because of the tight time schedule. When she decided it was right for her, she knew in her heart it was worth the commitment of time and energy. The piece is in a 350-pound steel frame and measures six feet tall by nine feet long. It was too big for her studio, so she built it in her barn. “Now I have to figure out how to get it to the Center!” A group of patients and caregivers from BAMC came to the studio to install some of the last pieces of glass. The dedication is on January 27th, and the final three “dots” will be placed by a former patient, a current patient, and a general.

Each piece of glass is foiled with copper.

Glass and Copper Detail

Photo: Deb Wight Studios

The edge of each piece of glass is covered with copper foil. These pieces are part of the Intrepid installation. She used 50 pounds of solder in this piece!

Deb’s favorite subject are birds.

Deb Wight Birds

Photo: Deb Wight Studios

This beautiful piece shows her typical method of glass on copper. So far, as she has seen, the use of copper and glass together in this fashion is unique to her art. The pieces of glass are held together with solder.

European Mount

Deb Wight Skull Mount

Photo: Deb Wight Studios

This hand-coppered European Skull Mount is a different way to honor the animal. Some are commissioned, and some are from a collection of skulls she has found.

Why is Deb laughing?

Deb Wight Laughing

Photo: Deb Wight Studios

“Whatever else I’ve done in life, I have always been an artist. I love color, you can get fabulous colors with art glass.” Deb smiles and laughs because she loves what she does. She works out of her home studio near Bergheim, and her art can be found on her website and a number of galleries, including Artisans in Fredericksburg.