Finding My Paradise

I’ve shared a bit on social media about our big news, but realized I haven’t said it here—Paradise Custom Glass is moving! Since relocating to Western North Carolina from New Jersey in 2021, my husband and I have dreamed about living in nature. Trees, mountains, and water were a big part of what brought us here in the first place. Opening a studio in downtown Morganton gave us the chance to build connections and become part of a community we truly love—but the pull of nature never went away. So we followed it.

We purchased a piece of land on Lake James, and last September we broke ground on what will be both our home and my new studio. The studio will be attached to the house and will give me about 1,000 square feet of space to continue to create glass art.

Even though it’s still under construction, I can already feel what it’s going to be like to work with natural light pouring in, to look out at the water while I design, to open the doors and let the breeze move through the space. It feels like a return to the original inspiration behind so much of my work—capturing light, color, and a sense of place.

While the setting is changing, what I offer isn’t. Just like my W. Union Street studio, the new space will be open by appointment and during special events. If anything, this move allows me to lean even more fully into what I love most—creating custom stained glass that reflects each person’s unique vision of their own version of paradise.

I plan to close the W. Union Street studio following the Art Crawl on May 21, then carefully pack everything up for its 12-mile journey to the lake. It’s a short distance, but it feels like a big step for me to live in a space that inspires me every day. I can’t wait to welcome you there—to sit down together, talk about your ideas, and begin translating them into glass in a place that already feels like home.