Today we’d like to introduce you to Cecilia H Calderon.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Cecilia. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was born and raised in Mexico City where I studied graphic design. When I got married we lived in Toronto, Canada for two years and there I fell in love with the Victorian style stained glass windows that I saw in the older neighborhoods, so I enrolled in a class and loved it. When we returned to Mexico I had a whole trunk full of glass and lead came because in those days there were three big stained glass studios in Mexico who produced their own art glass for their big church projects but they didn’t sell to the public. I was already pregnant with our first son and the stained glass was supposed to be my hobby, but as I started making some small windows and panels people started commissioning pieces and it turned into a business. It was perfect because I had the studio at my house and I could do it while taking care of my four kids.

In 1995 we moved to Austin, Texas because of my husband’s job. I started to show my portfolio to everybody hoping to get some commissions but they didn’t take me very seriously until somebody told me I had to prove myself, it didn’t matter what I had done in Mexico !!!! And by the way, I had a wonderful portfolio with big projects in Mexico. Anyway, I went to the Laguna Gloria Art Museum to see if they wanted a stained glass teacher and they did, so I taught there for two sessions and that made the whole difference, now when I talked to architects, designers and private clients they took me seriously. I also wanted to make 3D pieces to show in galleries, so I walked into an art gallery that had the most beautiful copper sculptures and asked if the artist taught classes and he did, so I started combining glass with my copper sculptures and showing in galleries.

In 2006, we moved to Scottsdale, also because of my husband’s job and I started driving around and looking for stained glass studios and realized they don’t use stained glass in Arizona very much, so I decided to use my copper patina techniques on flat wall pieces. Since then I have been experimenting with combining copper with oil paints, textiles and different textures. I joined the Scottsdale Artists League, the Arizona Art Alliance and the Sonoran Art League. I have shown in different galleries in Scottsdale, Cave Creek, Jerome, and Sedona. I also participate in the Hidden in the Hills Studio Tour in Cave Creek and the Arizona Fine Art Expo. And most important of all, I am now a grandma!!!!!

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There are always obstacles, like moving to another place once you already had a reputation and starting all over again. Also never enough studio space and time. My work is very physical, so I have to keep my body strong to be able to keep working with these materials.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Cecilia H Calderon Studio – what should we know?
I do mostly mixed media art wall pieces. I don’t call myself a painter because my pieces are more sculptural and I use unconventional materials like copper, semiprecious stones, wire, textiles, and rope. Recently I started making art lamps, inspired by the saguaro cactus. They are tall cylinders painted with oils and texturized with textiles and stones. They have a LED light that shines inside.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I have a very unique style and like to put a lot of texture into my pieces which makes them one of a kind. They have an earthly quality that people love because it connects them to nature. I also like to read a lot about mythology, philosophy and metaphysics and I think that influences and comes through in my work.

Contact Info:

Website: ceciliahcalderon.com
Phone: 512-731-7847
Email: ceciliahcalderon@gmail.com
Instagram: ceciliahcalderon
Facebook: Cecilia H Calderon