Fused Glass & PMC Hurricanes

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005, I began to make fused glass hurricanes, PMC hurricanes and tears. It was a creative way to grieve for my family and the destruction to my hometown of New Orleans. I could connect through the shattered glass with the devastated lives of my family and thousands of other families. Initially the designs were very "blue" as that certainly corresponded to my depression. Other pieces began to take on lines, hot colors and disjointedness corresponding to the rage and anger I was feeling towards the terrible way victims were treated by the government--federal, state and local. I couldn't believe this was happening in America!!! I give the profits of the sale of the hurricanes to help my family and New Orleans friends. The photograph on the bottom is of my childhood New Orleans home near Lake Pontchatrain that I grew up in. It was taken in July 2007 by my brother and the house was bulldozed in 2008. My old neighborhood has greatly changed with many vacant lots--signs of once lived in houses pulled down. Some houses still sit destroyed, abandoned and suspended in a kind of lethargic limbo. I guess they're waiting for their former owners to return from wherever?!

Please remember New Orleans and don't let this historic American city die! If you want to help in the recovery, please visit www.friendsofneworleans.org

To see a Slide Show of Leslie's Hurricane designs, Click Here!
Note: The slide show may take a little while to start moving, depending on the speed of your Internet connection.