Interview with Joleen Minchin

“Uniquely Yours by JLM” comes from my creative escapes from my busy life as a mom and bookkeeper in Nakusp BC. I enjoy up-cycling and re-purposing materials, playing and manipulating molten glass, silversmithing, and learning and experimenting with new techniques. Each piece is individual… unique… in its own way.

I have always loved jewelry and anything sparkly and shiny. I first fell in love with glass when I was fortunate enough to meet the late Kent Le Grand from Witchcliffe, Australia during one of my many visits to WA. Kent took me into the studio and did a live demo on how to blow glass. He blew my mind, as he was a one-armed glass blower who adapted to using his foot as an extra arm to roll the blow pipe. He then let me play with molten glass and I was hooked at first pull. I dreamed that I would take Kent up on his offer to work as an assistant in his studio. He was willing to take anyone in who wanted to learn the trade and assist him.

Joleen Minchin

I got into “crafting” for my mental health with a group I formed that focused on getting together, being creative while sharing and learning new skills. It was in this group that I rediscovered my passion for glass. Both my daughters, Alanna and Chiara, join me in my love for glass and we all have our own torches in our studio.

Once my passion was reignited six years ago, I was obsessed with learning all I could about glass and took as many workshops as I could afford on fusing glass. My glass obsession eventually led me to the Molten Experience with my aunt Emily Maja and Ada Bording. There I was able to walk among and learn from some of the most talented lampworkers such as Alexx Cheng, Joy Munshower, Hailey Tsang Sather and Sharon Peters, who were more than willing to share their valuable knowledge. These events left me with my heart full and yearning to learn more.

I have attended classes with Corina Tettinger, Sherry Bellamy and Robyn Cornelius and have been able to build on my skills. I have been gifted with mentors Ada Bording from Ada Baby’s Beads, Deb Tarry from Works in Glass, Donna Brayshaw, and the twins Melanie Rowe and Leslie Rowe-Israelson, all who have taken me under their wings, taught me techniques and encouraged me through this process. I feel so honoured and blessed to have these people in my life.

After my first meeting with Alexx and Viyada, I reached out to Alexx to personally thank him for his generosity at Molten. He generously committed to coming to Nakusp to meet my daughter Alanna and her grade five class and teach for a weekend retreat with other lampworkers. Alanna was so taken by Alexx’s and Viyada’s humanitarian work in Thailand that she and her class wanted to help the kids there too. Hence the Giving Glass Project was born. I donated scrap glass, and Fusion Glass out of Kelowna donated glass. The students assembled pieces to fuse in the kiln. It was magic watching the entire class take part in this project. The students sold their finished pieces at a stand outside our grocery store and together, with sales from a hot dog stand, raised over $1,200 for the school in Thailand.

My mom and dad have also been a big part of my journey. They’ve sacrificed space in their workshop for my studio, supplied me with endless scrap metal and materials. They even open their home and property to my artist peers when I host a weekend of sharing and learning. They are both truly amazing.

I strongly believe in learning from those who know more and teaching those who know less. I was asked to teach jewelry and glass through our school district mental health program to teenagers as an after-school program last year. I find it so rewarding seeing the light it brings to some troubled teens.

Currently I am working on a project to help a Laotian refugee raise money to visit his long-lost brother in Laos. They have not seen each other for over forty years. This is unimaginable to me. Covid made me miss seeing my family, but not for forty years. When I asked him why he had not gone back to visit, he told me he would have been killed if he returned home. He is now able to go safely, but it is too expensive for him. He has accepted my offer to help raise money through art to reunite him with his brother. Both my daughters, Alanna and Chiara, along with Deb, Donna and Alexx are working with me on this project. I am currently seeking donations of artwork to sell or auction online to raise the money.

Sharing and helping others is what inspires me to create. Creating helps with my mental health. Being able to create beautiful things while helping others makes my life complete.