Kelly O'Dell was captivated by glass many years ago by watching her father's glassblowing as she grew up. Kelly's goal in her design-work is to create a visually alluring composition of color, light, and mass. She currently works at the Pilchuck Glass School as an assistant to Vetri and Traver Gallery artist Randy Walker.
In 2003 O'Dell joined the William Morris blowing team and found herself searching for a way to exhibit and refine her newfound skills. Dinosaurs became her subject and focus, due to the technical challenge they presented, as well as their significance in her life. "I am unearthing themes born of extinction, preservation, discovery, memory, and self-reflection," says O'Dell. "By studying bone structures and fossils I often arrive at thoughts of my own mortality." She refers to these pieces as memento mori, a physical manifestation that reminds the owner that all things are mortal.
