Rediscovering and reinventing my artistic rootsWhere Crystal came to art "along the road less traveled", my path was more circular.
Growing up, I was surrounded by art and the business of art. I was born and raised in the south of France in a very little village not too far from Aix-en-Provence. My family owned a gift and jewelry store in Aix (where Paul Cezanne worked and painted). Being the first child born in the village of Les Michels in over 40 years there were no children my age to play with me; however, I did have an entire village of wonderful grandparents and my father's studio.
My father was a master jeweler who worked in silver and gold, every piece hammered, soldered and shaped by his hand. He created elegant and timeless fine art jewelry that remains in style today. My mother helped manage the business and participated in the jewelry fabrication as well. As with any self-employed parents, the dinner table was often filled with discussions regarding the family business like upcoming shows, new designs, financial issues, etc.
My father also expressed himself artistically through painting, poetry and metal sculpture. He was a renaissance man of tremendous talent. With the studio located in the house, I have fond memories of playing there from a very young age. My father taught me to solder gold by the time I was six and encouraged my creative talents. After teaching me basic skills, I started creating my own sculptures and jewelry soon after that. As I grew older, I continued to absorb the incredible creative energy surrounding me. I loved art, but I also wanted to follow my passion for science and math.
Unfortunately, French schools evaluated a child's skills and aptitude at a very early age and by 3rd grade, my fate was sealed; the system determined I was to be a journalist or novelist since they perceived little aptitude in math or science. At the age of 9, my family decided to move to Austin, TX to escape the poor French economy, be close to my mother's family and get to better schools for my sister and I. America, the land of opportunity, where a young boy can fulfill his dreams of science and math.
My parents opened the studio and gift store on 6th Street called Ouzi Creations (my father signed all his work "R. Ouzi"). Like most kids, the family business was my parent's business and I wanted to explore my own avenues. After my father passed away, art, though still important, faded into the background. Fast-forward a bit to 1989 when I graduate from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelors degree in electrical engineering. Did I mention that I did really well in creative and technical writing? Guess those French schools knew what they were doing after all!
Between graduation and now, I met Crystal, the love of my life and my muse, we had Jacob, my little buddy and our budding artist, and I developed a very fulfilling career working at local Austin high tech companies. In 2006, after living in Austin for 30 years (we don't talk about the 2 years I spent in Houston finishing high school), we made the BIG move to Seattle.
Crystal and I started collecting paintings early in our marriage and we often went into debt to buy the next piece. Our philosophy was buy cheap cars so you can afford the most beautiful paintings. I often worked with painters to express my ideas through their artistic interpretations. These commissions were beautiful, but not my own creations. A visit to the glass factories in Murano, Italy after high school sparked my interest in art glass. As the years passed, I maintained a fascination with art glass, but that interest became a passion after my first class in fused and dichroic glass. The brilliant and rich palette of colors, the complex technical issues, and the endless forms proved irresistible. I had found my artistic passion and the outlet for my creative energies.
Fused and Dichroic Glass Jewelry from my First Class
I express my artistic side in all aspects of my life including my high tech career, home (I love to cook), and of course, in the studio. I truly enjoy creating art glass and jewelry with Crystal who has an amazing sense of color and a bit of a wild side. I excel in the technical aspects and the really detailed creative work. We push and pull each other in different directions with new ideas and techniques, which allows us to create a very broad and deep range of styles, colors, and textures in our fine art glass jewelry. I would be remiss in not mentioning the tremendous pride and joy I get from working with and encouraging Jacob’s artistic talents as my father did for me. I love the idea that perhaps years from now, Jacob’s artistic talents and memories of the studio express themselves in new and unexpected ways.
I have discovered my own artistic path and it has led me full circle back to my roots in fine art jewelry. Best of all, that creative outlet, that passion that feeds my soul, is one shared by the people that inspire me most, Crystal and Jacob.
Crystal’s BiographyJacob’s Biography
