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| PHOTOS by Ashley Grimes! |
"I kind of completely gave up on art until my senior year. I was inspired by artist Caroline Sobral and my sister, Autumn Glass-Colvin, who is also an artist," Glass said following a recent message notifying her the Kentucky Foundation For Women had selected her works for recognition.
She is also quick to credit the encouragement of Grayson Gallery & Art Center Director Dan Click. "We were at the antiques store (Antiques & Uniques) and Dan invited us to the next art show at the gallery," she said, adding he encouraged her to join the artists with works on the walls.
Her dad also played a crucial role in her return to art, Glass said with a smile. "He gave me $50 and said, 'Hey, go buy some paint.'"
Raised on Crane Creek in Carter County, Glass attended East Carter High School and home-school classes before joining the Class of 2015 at Greenup County High School. Now "between schools," she studies psychology and art, with an ambition to combine the two. She also continues a passionate pursuit of visual arts as well as performance arts including cirque-style shows.
As a visual artist, Glass said she enjoys translating the human body.
"Mostly, I'm drawn to the female form when it comes to art," she said, noting the subject is surely one of the oldest traditions among those who draw, paint and sculpt.
Glass is one of two Kentucky Foundation For Women Firestarter Award recipients statewide. The award will be formally presented during a ceremony in Prospect, Kentucky on September 22. She said the award recognizes artists whose work "puts a spotlight on feminism and encourages social change," - standards she hopes to uphold.
"I have never been a self-proclaimed feminist," she said, smiling as she acknowledged her artistic expressions certainly prompt reactions.
"It definitely starts a conversation … it's controversial," she said.
Glass is working on a 36x42 charcoal portrait of Kasey Carroll, founder of the locally-based cirque and flow troupe known as The Cosmadolls, which she hopes to complete in time to be included in the September 27 F!nal Fr!day show at Grayson Gallery & Art Center.
She will perform as a member of The Cosmadolls during the upcoming "Bloodmoon Ball," October 26 at The Social Room, as well as November 10 during The Wizards Ball at the RO-NA Theater in Ironton, Ohio and November 16 as part of an area tattoo convention.
To learn more about the art of Candy Glass, look her up on Instagram (candyhopesdielast) or "Embrace The Madness - Art By Candy" on Facebook.
