Esther Rodriguez

I am determined to recuperate the interest that people once had for products made in Mexico so that our country may become distinguished. That's why glass art caught my attention – it is a noble prime material with multicolored transparencies that are pleasing to the eye.

I think of myself as someone who can be trusted to fulfill my responsibilities with anything that's been placed in my hands, and I persevere with whatever I set my mind to do.

"All of this began in 1998, when my husband and I were in Europe for an exhibition, and we came upon the design and tools to work with this noble material. We were so inspired that we decided we just had to learn about fused glass techniques. Enzo, an Italian artist, taught me. Of course one must already possess the ability to be creative in order to instill a more personal touch in one's design, and that is why I kept taking courses to perfect my skills.

"We use two types of glass, national and imported. Obtaining our prime material isn't difficult – that is set by the complexity of the design.

"Throughout this time we've come to learn that we can work with glass in a variety of ways, each beautiful piece capturing our imagination.

"My inspiration comes from my soul; it is an intangible aspect that is difficult to explain but it leads to creativity. What I enjoy most about working with glass – especially vitro-fusion - is the way the transparencies and colors interact with each other and create a unique piece.

"The journey to establish a venture of our own has been very difficult and yet very rewarding, for when I add each experience up, I generate a great value to my life. At work I can count on people who cut glass and craft my products. Each person is responsible for a specific job. I find it is important to delegate authority to each person in my team, because we share the same passion and interest for developing new techniques, abilities and skills regarding art glass. This depends on well founded values that result in a commitment to create a great working environment.

"We aim to generate more work for artisans in our community, as well as becoming a source of inspiration for others who specialize in the crafting of special products.

"Life is like a lightweight piece that can break at any given moment, just like glass. That is why each piece we craft bears with it a piece of our soul."