Phonsie Bates

Phonsie is a long-time member of CCAA/Mistlin Gallery and serves on its board of directors. After teaching for thirty years, she is now retired and focused on her art work, using her time to take classes and expand her skills in glass work and precious metal clay, as well as developing her skills as a watercolor artist.

Phonsie has been making jewelry for approximately 25 years, incorporating her handmade beads of polymer clay, lampworked glass, fused glass and precious metal clay into uniquely designed pieces of jewelry. She has sold her work at various arts and craft fairs in California and is now showing at the Mistlin Gallery in Modesto.

Phonsie gets her inspiration from the world around her and like many artists, has a deep appreciation of nature’s creations.  She is naturally curious and that often leads to artistic expression in different mediums. Reactive glass holds her interest because it has so many unique effects, depending on the chemicals in the glass, firing temperature and the environment itself. The shifting colors of dichroic glass can be arranged and combined to form exciting one-of -kind pieces.  Watercolors are fluid and fun and can be layered to produce beautiful translucent effects!

Statement: “Whenever I part with a piece I have created, I feel that a part of me goes with it. It is part of my journey.”