On the Cover

On the Cover: GeoShimmy by Polly Mottonen Plummer

By Staff

I have been a stained glass artist for a very long time but I don’t think much of it was my doing at all. There has been a series of glass fairies who have created this path for me.
Thirty years ago I took a stained glass class from a charmer who went by the name of “Kirk” (not his real name) He was adorable and a good teacher and I knew from the first cut I would always be building windows.
A few months later, I felt I couldn’t progress without a piece of equipment that was beyond my means. A mysterious man named Norris who was a roadie for Commander Codie decided I was his wife in a previous life and sent me a wonderful diamond grinder in the mail. Yep, that’s how it happened. I was in business.
I packed up my tools and my fresh geology degree and moved from Wisconsin to Utah—to my Aunt Greta and Uncle John and CATALYST. The moment I arrived, Greta asked me, “If you could do anything, what would it be?” She took me straight down to Creative Glass Studio with Dan, Paul and Ben. I don’t know how I got that job but they taught me so much. Then there was Willy, Jenkyn and Cathleen.
But mostly there has been Pilar. She always tells me I am a “great artist” which of course I am not, but if Pilar tells you something you go with it. “You must do your art every day!” she teaches.
And somehow we arrive, Pilar and I, at our 25th year of friendship, support and encouragement. As we wrap up the June issue, I know I’d better get back to my workbench. There are windows to build and my friends are asking about Art in Pilar’s Garden. It is a private event but Facebook me and I can fill you in.
Polly’s stained glass can be seen in the CATALYST office and at artist Pilar Pobil’s house. Polly Plummer Mottonen has been art director of CATALYST for 26 years. Reach her at Polly@CatalystMagazine.net.

This article was originally published on June 1, 2017.