Now CULTURE
SHADES OF LIFE
Jacki Cohen brings people joy through her colorful fused glass art
BY GABBY LEIGHTON
Artist Jacki Cohen’s love for art is deeply rooted in what she finds beautiful. Her fascination began like most children – coloring and countless arts and crafts through her high school years. Her love for the visual world continued after she graduated from Arizona State University with a marketing degree and worked as a buyer for a major department store. “I was good at being able to visualize collections just by seeing small swatches of fabrics,” Cohen says. “That artistic aptitude helped me merchandise and buy collections because I could imagine how the colors and fabrics would look and flow on the racks, in displays, and how they would appeal to customers.” Cohen was a glass art admirer, collector and enthusiast for many years. However, it wasn’t until her oldest child was headed for college that she considered a second act as a professional artist. “Sixteen years ago, I embarked on a journey to explore my creative side. I took classes in watercolor, drawing, ceramics, and nothing felt quite right,” Cohen says, noting she took a stained glass course through a local community college and learned how to handle glass. “The studio offered a fused glass class. I knew right then and there I had found my artistic medium.” Cohen was a hobbyist at first, but monthly classes quickly progressed into weekly and then biweekly classes for many years. She began selling her work professionally in 2009 and built and opened her own studio, Jacki Cohen Glass Art Designs (www. jackicohenglassartdesigns.com), in 2014. Since then, she has continued to learn new techniques through art classes, webinars, books, podcasts and by following other artists on social media. “I’m relentlessly curious and I continually learn I am always pushing my artistic boundaries to discover new glass techniques and bring new art to my customers,” she says. “I learn a lot from trial and error. Sometimes a project that doesn’t work teaches you more than 100 successes.” Cohen’s work showcases bright colors, abstract designs, unique shapes and black-and-white accents. She specializes in custom commissioned pieces and has a large selection of Judaica. Her current work is inspired by the joy of life after her mother’s near-death COVID-19 diagnosis. “The first piece of art I created after not working for more than two months, after taking care of my mom, was Celebration, Tree of Life,” she says. “The intricacy of design, layers, and textures illustrate my exuberance for life, and that energy is expressed in this collection.” Cohen will be participating in the upcoming self-guided 25th annual Hidden in the Hills Studio Tour (www.sonoranartsleague. org), which will take place in the Sonoran Foothills on Nov. 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, and 28. Her work will be on display at The Wes Hartin Art Studio.
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So Scottsdale! November ‘21