Bio and work description:
I am a self-taught artist passionate about the intersection of art and sustainability. Growing up in Columbus, Ohio, I discovered my love for creating art from repurposed materials during a bathroom renovation at home. I scavenged broken tiles, painted them, and from that moment, my artistic journey took root in the world of upcycling.
Today, my work predominantly features glass sourced from friends, neighbors, and thrift stores—items like old wine, oil, vinegar, and kombucha bottles, along with thrifted vase fillers and plates. I begin by smashing the glass with a hammer and... [ more ]
Bill Haywire is originally from Millville, NJ. Carl Sandburg wrote about Millville: “Down in southern New Jersey, they make glass. By day and by night, the fires burn on in Millville and bid the sand let in the light.”
Sandburg then went on to describe child labor in the glass industry. This is well documented by a photographer for the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC), Lewis Hine (1874-1940) who documented working and living conditions of children in the United States between 1908 and 1924. These images can be found in the National Child Labor Committee Collection in the Library of Congress.
The... [ more ]