About

The Artist

“The ultimate challenge is to transform a plain clear piece of glass into a work of art that reflects my inspired vision”. --Nancy Fiala

Born and raised in the Seattle area, Nancy’s love of art spans her entire life and includes time spent formally studying art at the University of Puget Sound and the University of Washington. Over the years, she has experimented in many forms of artistic expression including print making, ceramics, weaving, photography, and multi-media work.

After trying so many mediums, Nancy discovered that glass painting held a special fascination for her, and she has since focused her creative energies there. She has found that the glassware itself provides a unique depth and reflective quality to her work not attainable on paper or canvas, and she is continually inspired by the fusion of vibrant colors that mix and mingle on the glass.

For Nancy, half the fun of her chosen technique is the element of surprise. Because she paints in reverse on the back of the glass, she never knows quite what any piece will look like until it dries and she can turn it over to reveal the vibrant patterns. In addition to creating stylish and colorful art, the fact that each piece is functional adds to joy and fulfillment she derives from her unique craft.

Nancy currently resides with her husband, two teenage sons, and adopted cat Spot in Bellevue, Washington. Her work can be found at a variety of galleries in Washington - Seattle, Edmonds, Bothell, Bellingham, Gig Harbor, Kirkland,  Bellevue - and also in Eagle River, Alaska and Ogunquit, Maine.

Bringing Art to Life

Nancy’s canvases include just about any shape or size of clear glassware including plates, bowls, wine glasses, martini glasses and more. Everything is hand-painted using an acrylic enamel paint that is specially formulated for use on glass.

But before she even picks up a brush, each piece is carefully washed and then wiped with alcohol to prepare the surface for painting. Once the glass is ready, Nancy sits down in her kitchen with Spot, her muse and favorite house cat, to decide on her latest crop of colorful designs.

Every piece of Fiala Design Works glassware is uniquely hand-painted on the outside, or back of the glass, using a variety of techniques. Because Nancy paints only on the outside, her inventive designs are painted in reverse. This means that she starts with the details, perhaps a leaf pattern or wavy lines, and finishes with the background color.

Once the glassware is painted and allowed to dry thoroughly, it is baked to create a scratch-resistant surface. Then it is signed and dated so that you know that it is one-of-a-kind. The result is a richly-colored and highly durable piece of functional glass art.