Bill Vasicek

Artist Statement

Hi! My name is Bill Vasicek. I was born and raised in Grand Forks, North Dakota. From as far back as I can remember, I've enjoyed creating things out of pieces of wood and other found materials. My family encouraged this interest and even enrolled me in a summer art program for youth at the University of North Dakota. While I enjoyed making art, I never considered myself an artist, perhaps because my siblings were more talented.

As a young adult, my interest in woodworking led me to a community education stained glass course. I wanted to learn how to make a leaded glass insert for a cabinet. Though challenging at first, I discovered that stained glass was another fascinating medium for my creativity. To enhance my skills, I took classes in the copper-foil method and lead caming at a local stained glass studio. With the support and guidance of my instructors, I steadily improved my competence in stained glass techniques.

My primary source of inspiration for pursuing stained glass art has been my wife and family. I have valued the opportunity to create stained glass pieces for both family members and friends.

At one time, there were three retail shops in Grand Forks where a person could purchase stained glass and supplies. Then there was none. People in Grand Forks were interested in learning how to make stained glass items, but no one was offering classes. My wife and I decided to step in and teach. We held several classes, transporting all the glass, tools, and supplies from one classroom to another--a lot of work for minimal compensation. I then approached a schoolmate, Kimberly Forness-Wilson at Arts for Vets to see if they would have any interest in an in-kind donation of stained glass tools and supplies. Kimberly said they would gladly accept the donation, but they did not have an instructor. Recently retired, I concluded that volunteering with Arts for Vets would be a great fit.

Sometimes stained glass just doesn’t want to do what you’d like it to do. Stained glass can be wonderfully stubborn, often fighting your intentions with
challenging cuts, unexpected breaks, solder issues, or design frustrations. Stained glass art requires patience, proper tools, and learning to work with the glass's nature, not against it, in order to achieve desired results. It's an art demanding time, patience, and a keen eye for color and line, where you learn to adapt when pieces don't cooperate.
Stained glass is a journey of learning to understand and collaborate with the material; those challenges are just part of its magical, artistic process.

The art of stained glass often resists one’s intentions with challenging cuts, unexpected breaks, solder issues, or design frustrations. Creating stained glass art takes patience, the right tools, and an understanding of the material. Adaptability is key, as working with stained glass means learning to collaborate with its unique nature and accepting challenges as part of the creative process.
Teaching stained glass is highly rewarding, as it enables me to guide students through a creative and hands-on process that fosters confidence, reduces stress, and culminates in distinctive works of art. This role allows me to share my passion while observing students develop new skills and achieve lasting results.