Her car keeps getting broken into, so she collects the glass and transforms it into wearable art!
Cleveland, Ohio - June 26, 2018 - If you’ve lived in the city, before too long you’ll probably have to deal with a car break-in. Deanna Dionne has to deal with them several times a year! She moved into a live-work artist loft in downtown Cleveland, with only street parking, and quickly discovered car break-ins were just a part of living in that area.
However, she moved there to pursue art interests, and wanted to try working with glass. With a plentiful supply on Cleveland’s curbs, she started sweeping glass right off the street and soon launched Cleveland Street Glass: Jewelry made from car break-ins.
The technique is similar to stained glass, edging each individual piece with a silver alloy. Smaller pieces of glass are utilized by mixing with resin in custom shapes and handmade molds. Every piece is one-of-a-kind with an empowering story of reclamation.
Getting your car broken into is an awful feeling of violation. Dionne considers it an empowering act to literally reclaim this glass left as debris on the street and adding value back to it, making it into a jewel. It’s a reminder that although we may feel broken, our cracks can be what make us beautiful.
Dionne can be found selling at local Cleveland craft shows, her work is sold on her website, ClevelandStreetGlass.com, and can be found inside The W Gallery in the 5th Street Arcades, downtown Cleveland.
Read her bio here.