Dr. Charles Smith, Nederland. Kay O’Neil opened Rocky Mountain Glass Art Studio on the second floor of the Caribou Village Shopping Center in Nederland on December 1, 2019. Kay has spent the last month moving in, building, organizing and preparing her studio for design work, crafting numerous stain glass projects, both in copper foil and lead, and teaching. The remodel of the space has been no small chore. Tools, tables, and the hundreds of pieces of colored glass, both large and small, have been moved and organized.
Kay received her Bachelor’s Degree in art and minor in industrial arts from South East Missouri University in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Besides her art studies, she did extensive work in printing, screen printing, leatherwork, and framing. While working in an art gallery, she was introduced to stain glass work. Eventually she moved on to St. Louis and worked at three different stain glass studios. It was there that she honed her craft in all types of glass work.
When you walk into her teaching space, you will always be greeted by a smile, a conversation and music. Kay was an “on air personality” for public radio in St. Louis. Her love of all styles and backgrounds of music are apparent when she has a conversation with you. Her wealth and knowledge of music is amazing. Her favorite style might just be that of blues.
Her next journey took her to Springfield, Missouri, where her glasswork became her priority. Huge projects from Bass Pro Shops followed. Contracts for small cabins followed in the Branson area.
While traveling to Colorado to visit glass supply shops, Kay immediately fell in love with the area. She moved here nine years ago. “Now that I have the opportunity to have a storefront, I am ecstatic!”
Kay is a gifted artist. One of her greatest strengths is the fact that she can render any image created from an idea. She can then create a stain glass pattern. Be it created in stain glass or sand blast etching, she has the experience in all facets of craftsmanship.
Kay creates colorful stained glass with nature in mind, as well as custom orders including suncatchers. Nature has so many images! Her Nederland home is perfect for inspiration.
Besides being a first rate artist and glass artist, her strength is her teaching ability. Kay credits so many of her teachers with helping her formulate her gifts that she in turn wants to, “turn on the light inside of students and see their eyes flash when they realize that they too, can do cool things.”
“Teaching is about being patient, watching and listening to students, and giving good instructions. Encouragement and guidance,” says Kay.
Kay’s website with a gallery of her work is www.oneilrockymountainart.com
Please plan to stop by, chat, sign up for a class and enjoy the atmosphere. Her studio is a unique and wonderful new shop for our community to experience.
(Originally published in the November 28, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)
