FALL 2018 9
A R T & C R A F T
POWER GLASS
Participating in her first stained glass
class at eight years old, Sarah Oleksyk
has seemingly always been fascinated
by the medium. "If you ever walk into
a stained-glass store where you see
all the sheets lined up in colors, it's
like going into a candy store," she
says. "It's like painting with light."
While stained glass has been
historically preserved for exalted
and religious imagery, Oleksyk has
found excitement in expanding its
horizons into erotic creations.
"There's something kind of fun and
subversive about doing something
triple-X rated in the medium of
[stained] glass because it's subverting
the history of it," she says.
After experiencing a personally and
politically difficult year, she crafted
Medusa, a work that presents a powerful
interpretation of the Greek Gorgon.
"Instead of just tapping into the sexual side
of her, I think she's more of a reflection
of female anger and rage," she says.
After choosing black glass for its
iridescence and texture the other colors
fell into place, says Olekysk, who decided
on a green background with golden swirls
to conjure a sick and witchy feeling.
– Grace Pickering
ARTIST: Sarah Oleksyk
TITLE: Medusa
MEDIUM: Stained Glass
SIZE: 20.5" diameter
