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Delinda VanneBrightyn

Fine Art Sculpture in Glass and Bronze

HOME BIO PROCESS SCULPTURE WALL WORKS ARCHITECTURAL UPCOMING SHOWS GALLERIES

THE ARTIST'S BIOGRAPHY

"Art is a passionate dance
of vision and skill,
surrender and control,
innate wisdom and abandoned whimsy,
and compels that which is within
to exist without."
Delinda VanneBrightyn, 2004
(pronounced, "van bri ten")

Delinda VanneBrightyn has always been an artist, working professionally for forty-one years. Her career spans both the visual and performing arts. She has proven to be a visionary, in her own personal work and what she has brought to the community table. Delinda has envisioned, instigated and delivered programs to her community that empowers others for success and drives economic possibilities. She is currently honored as one of the 2012 Remarkable Women of Taos by the Town of Taos.

Working as a sculptor for the last eight years, VanneBrightyn's primary mediums are kiln-formed glass and bronze. Glass drives her creative process because of its illuminative and translucent qualities and because of the still unchartered territories of the medium that take her into the scientific and exploratory side of the process. She pushes this difficult material to create contemporary figurative and abstract works which speak of life, growth and revelation. Her constant muse is the beauty and resilience of the human experience and spirit.

Delinda lives and works in Taos, New Mexico, "place of my heart and soul". Her glass studio is located next to the National Forest in the foothills overlooking Taos and the setting sun. The studio for architectural and functional works is in the Town of Taos at DV-Art and Architecture, 1210 Salazar Road. She works and teaches from her studios, as well as to welcome an occasional tour of collectors or students.

Besides her art, Delinda is very active in the community of Taos. She founded and currently serves as President to the Board of TIGA: Taos Institute for Glass Arts and is the founder and chairperson for the bi-annual Taos Art Glass Invitational and Walking On Glass Tour. Additionally, Delinda serves on the Board of Directors for Taos Search and Rescue. Delinda is a certified search-dog team with her K-9 partner "Zatoichi", working throughout New Mexico and into Colorado helping to find people lost or injured in off-road areas. Having served as the team's Training Officer for 6 years and as K-9 Unit Leader for 7 years to present, she is also President of the Board for this all volunteer organization. When asked about her volunteer work, Delinda states that "People, animals, the wilderness, the arts-these are my passions and service is a part of me. As I must breathe, I must also give back to my community. It is an important balance that maintains my creative and spiritual self." Sundance Performing Arts Center in Taos is a community space owned by VanneBrightyn and is available at low cost to performing and visual artists for classes, shows and events. Delinda is a member and has served on the board of Glass Alliance - New Mexico, a guild comprised of artists, galleries, and collectors of contemporary studio art glass. Glass Alliance - New Mexico is a non-profit organization whose mission is to further the development and appreciation of contemporary studio art glass.

VanneBrightyn's life is inspired not only by the natural beauty prevalent in Taos, but also by fellow artists living and working here. Maurice Lowe, who was Henry Moore's studio assistant and, later, Professor of Sculpture at Penn Graduate School of Fine Arts, is a constant inspiration, mentor, and friend for VanneBrightyn. Peter Chinni, a sculptor and painter who is in museums and private collections throughout North America and Europe, is also a friend and mentor, providing valuable critique and encouragement. Jack Smith, a nationally renowned portrait and still life painter, has recently encouraged VanneBrightyn to paint in his style of oil on copper which, VanneBrightyn says, "has given me a fresh look at color and perspective in my work. I am infinitely fortunate to know and collaborate with each of these extraordinary and gifted artists."

About her life: Born in Dallas, Texas, Delinda began at age 14 with a career in the performing arts. Delinda has graced the stage with such extraordinary talents as Gene Kelly, Bob Hope, and Ginger Rogers. Performing as an actor, model, singer, and spokesperson on a weekly television show, her primary love, focus and mastery remained in dance. In 1977 she was the Artistic Director of Sundance Professional Dance Artists, a company working in both concert and commercial performance venues. Her resume is extensive in performance, direction, and choreography.

Since 1976, Delinda also worked in fiber arts as an aside to the intense, fast pace of performance art. She owned and operated a gift manufacturing business where her designs were hand-sewn by 32 women and sold across the country through the Los Angeles and New York Trade Marts. She was offered a show of her original fiber art-works by a New York gallery in 1979. This work, however, remained secondary until later in Los Angeles.

In 1984, Delinda moved to Taos, which intensified her knowledge and passion for the visual arts. She became the Director of the Rod Goebel Gallery, applying her experience of developing and marketing performing artists to visual art. However, she missed dance and moved back to Los Angeles at the beginning of 1990. Coming home from a rehearsal late one evening in 1992, she was hit by a drunk driver, ending the possibility of continuing a performance career in dance. Her slow rehabilitation from the life-threatening situation was life-changing. However, she returned to teaching, with her students winning the ballet competition at "Youth at the Greek", a Los Angeles city-wide theater dance competition in 1997. She went on to choreograph "The Nutcracker Ballet" for the City of Los Angeles in 1998. Delinda was featured in a documentary movie entitled, "A Hero On Every Block". The documentary celebrates the heroism that takes place all around us through the lives of everyday people, in what they persevere, overcome and how they inspire others.

During her rehabilitation, VanneBrightyn turned her main focus to visual arts. For 5 years she chaired an annual art event for a large California non-profit. She taught weekly art classes in different media (including fiber, beads, sculpture, and fused glass) and took the opportunity for extensive self-exploration and learning. She designed a line of jewelry and her designs were featured in editorials in Women's Wear Daily, Accent, and Accessory magazines. She began to be invited to teach across the country in fiber art and taught at nationally acclaimed art schools and conferences. She wrote and published a book on weaving with beads. Her artwork was purchased by private collectors and the Smithsonian.

About her current artwork: At the end of 1999, Delinda moved back to Taos and stopped teaching so she could focus more intently on her own art. In 2003, Delinda decided to change her primary medium to glass. She was most interested in kiln-formed glass, particularly casting and pate de verre techniques. In 2005, she traveled to Switzerland to study with master glass caster Linda Ethier. She attended the Bullseye Glass Learning Center in Portland, Oregon to study with Alicia Lome in pate de verre techniques, and again studied with Linda Ethier. Delinda still works to push the technical envelope necessary in order to realize what she envisions in glass.

Delinda's work is clearly influenced by her past career in dance, as the work has been called "graceful", "moving" and "enchanting". Her sense of color and texture, brought about through a masterful encounter of fiber. VanneBrightyn's work is most certainly informed by her rich and challenging experiences in life. She celebrates human resiliency and inspires thought on the human framework through her translucent and vibrant works.

VanneBrightyn has exhibited at LewAllen Contemporary (Santa Fe, NM), Winterowd Gallery (Santa Fe, NM), Artifex (Taos, NM), Henningsen Fine Art (Taos, NM), Salon MarGraff (Santa Fe, NM) and The Amarillo Museum of Art (Texas). She is currently represented by The Edge (Santa Fe), Hawthorne Gallery (Springfield, MO), and Hulse/Warman Gallery (Taos, NM) and is in private collections throughout the United States and abroad.

	Delinda VanneBrightyn Fine Art Sculpture in Glass and Bronze





	HOME BIO PROCESS SCULPTURE WALL WORKS ARCHITECTURAL UPCOMING SHOWS GALLERIES











	THE ARTIST'S BIOGRAPHY





	"Art is a passionate dance of vision and skill, surrender and control, innate wisdom and abandoned whimsy, and compels that which is within *to exist without."* *Delinda VanneBrightyn, 2004* (pronounced, "van bri ten")





	Delinda VanneBrightyn has always been an artist, working professionally for forty-one years. Her career spans both the visual and performing arts. She has proven to be a visionary, in her own personal work and what she has brought to the community table. Delinda has envisioned, instigated and delivered programs to her community that empowers others for success and drives economic possibilities. She is currently honored as one of the 2012 Remarkable Women of Taos by the Town of Taos. Working as a sculptor for the last eight years, VanneBrightyn's primary mediums are kiln-formed glass and bronze. Glass drives her creative process because of its illuminative and translucent qualities and because of the still unchartered territories of the medium that take her into the scientific and exploratory side of the process. She pushes this difficult material to create contemporary figurative and abstract works which speak of life, growth and revelation. Her constant muse is the beauty and resilience of the human experience and spirit. Delinda lives and works in Taos, New Mexico, "place of my heart and soul". Her glass studio is located next to the National Forest in the foothills overlooking Taos and the setting sun. The studio for architectural and functional works is in the Town of Taos at DV-Art and Architecture, 1210 Salazar Road. She works and teaches from her studios, as well as to welcome an occasional tour of collectors or students. Besides her art, Delinda is very active in the community of Taos. She founded and currently serves as President to the Board of TIGA: Taos Institute for Glass Arts and is the founder and chairperson for the bi-annual Taos Art Glass Invitational and Walking On Glass Tour. Additionally, Delinda serves on the Board of Directors for Taos Search and Rescue. Delinda is a certified search-dog team with her K-9 partner "Zatoichi", working throughout New Mexico and into Colorado helping to find people lost or injured in off-road areas. Having served as the team's Training Officer for 6 years and as K-9 Unit Leader for 7 years to present, she is also President of the Board for this all volunteer organization. When asked about her volunteer work, Delinda states that "People, animals, the wilderness, the arts-these are my passions and service is a part of me. As I must breathe, I must also give back to my community. It is an important balance that maintains my creative and spiritual self." Sundance Performing Arts Center in Taos is a community space owned by VanneBrightyn and is available at low cost to performing and visual artists for classes, shows and events. Delinda is a member and has served on the board of Glass Alliance - New Mexico, a guild comprised of artists, galleries, and collectors of contemporary studio art glass. Glass Alliance - New Mexico is a non-profit organization whose mission is to further the development and appreciation of contemporary studio art glass. VanneBrightyn's life is inspired not only by the natural beauty prevalent in Taos, but also by fellow artists living and working here. Maurice Lowe, who was Henry Moore's studio assistant and, later, Professor of Sculpture at Penn Graduate School of Fine Arts, is a constant inspiration, mentor, and friend for VanneBrightyn. Peter Chinni, a sculptor and painter who is in museums and private collections throughout North America and Europe, is also a friend and mentor, providing valuable critique and encouragement. Jack Smith, a nationally renowned portrait and still life painter, has recently encouraged VanneBrightyn to paint in his style of oil on copper which, VanneBrightyn says, "has given me a fresh look at color and perspective in my work. I am infinitely fortunate to know and collaborate with each of these extraordinary and gifted artists." About her life: Born in Dallas, Texas, Delinda began at age 14 with a career in the performing arts. Delinda has graced the stage with such extraordinary talents as Gene Kelly, Bob Hope, and Ginger Rogers. Performing as an actor, model, singer, and spokesperson on a weekly television show, her primary love, focus and mastery remained in dance. In 1977 she was the Artistic Director of Sundance Professional Dance Artists, a company working in both concert and commercial performance venues. Her resume is extensive in performance, direction, and choreography. Since 1976, Delinda also worked in fiber arts as an aside to the intense, fast pace of performance art. She owned and operated a gift manufacturing business where her designs were hand-sewn by 32 women and sold across the country through the Los Angeles and New York Trade Marts. She was offered a show of her original fiber art-works by a New York gallery in 1979. This work, however, remained secondary until later in Los Angeles. In 1984, Delinda moved to Taos, which intensified her knowledge and passion for the visual arts. She became the Director of the Rod Goebel Gallery, applying her experience of developing and marketing performing artists to visual art. However, she missed dance and moved back to Los Angeles at the beginning of 1990. Coming home from a rehearsal late one evening in 1992, she was hit by a drunk driver, ending the possibility of continuing a performance career in dance. Her slow rehabilitation from the life-threatening situation was life-changing. However, she returned to teaching, with her students winning the ballet competition at "Youth at the Greek", a Los Angeles city-wide theater dance competition in 1997. She went on to choreograph "The Nutcracker Ballet" for the City of Los Angeles in 1998. Delinda was featured in a documentary movie entitled, "A Hero On Every Block". The documentary celebrates the heroism that takes place all around us through the lives of everyday people, in what they persevere, overcome and how they inspire others. During her rehabilitation, VanneBrightyn turned her main focus to visual arts. For 5 years she chaired an annual art event for a large California non-profit. She taught weekly art classes in different media (including fiber, beads, sculpture, and fused glass) and took the opportunity for extensive self-exploration and learning. She designed a line of jewelry and her designs were featured in editorials in Women's Wear Daily, Accent, and Accessory magazines. She began to be invited to teach across the country in fiber art and taught at nationally acclaimed art schools and conferences. She wrote and published a book on weaving with beads. Her artwork was purchased by private collectors and the Smithsonian. About her current artwork: At the end of 1999, Delinda moved back to Taos and stopped teaching so she could focus more intently on her own art. In 2003, Delinda decided to change her primary medium to glass. She was most interested in kiln-formed glass, particularly casting and pate de verre techniques. In 2005, she traveled to Switzerland to study with master glass caster Linda Ethier. She attended the Bullseye Glass Learning Center in Portland, Oregon to study with Alicia Lome in pate de verre techniques, and again studied with Linda Ethier. Delinda still works to push the technical envelope necessary in order to realize what she envisions in glass. Delinda's work is clearly influenced by her past career in dance, as the work has been called "graceful", "moving" and "enchanting". Her sense of color and texture, brought about through a masterful encounter of fiber. VanneBrightyn's work is most certainly informed by her rich and challenging experiences in life. She celebrates human resiliency and inspires thought on the human framework through her translucent and vibrant works. VanneBrightyn has exhibited at LewAllen Contemporary (Santa Fe, NM), Winterowd Gallery (Santa Fe, NM), Artifex (Taos, NM), Henningsen Fine Art (Taos, NM), Salon MarGraff (Santa Fe, NM) and The Amarillo Museum of Art (Texas). She is currently represented by The Edge (Santa Fe), Hawthorne Gallery (Springfield, MO), and Hulse/Warman Gallery (Taos, NM) and is in private collections throughout the United States and abroad.