MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Shawn Forsman and John Parken are co-owners of Kinesava GlassWorks. They have widely varied backgrounds. John is a“recovering attorney” from Salt Lake City while Shawn, who has Masters degrees in both public health and social work, worked as a case-manager and crisis counselor.

In the early 1990’s, they moved to the Florida Keys. Under the studio name of Whispering Waters, they designed and crafted a variety of tabletop ceramic
and stoneware fountains. John volunteered with the local Fire Department and eventually became a Paramedic. They became interested in glass as a medium after John took a class from renowned glass artist Newy Fagan.

After their studio in Florida succumbed to salt water flooding in the wake of Hurricane Wilma (the 7th named storm to pass through the Keys in 2004 and 2005), they determined they really preferred the earthquake-prone West and decided that Zion Canyon was the place they wanted to be. John had attended Springdale Elementary School for almost two years in the 1960’s and he still owns a lot by the old iron bridge in Rockville that his parents purchased.

John and Shawn have a collaborative process in their art and specialize in lamps, sconces, bowls, tiles and jewelry. They use a number of varied techniques in their work including traditional fusing and kiln forming but also abrasive etching
and carving, lampworking and casting. Shawn is pushing the envelope by using lampworking techniques to create components that he uses in floral and underwater scenes.

The studio name reflects their appreciation of the uniqueness of the area. Their home and studio is at the base of Mount Kinesava, named for a Native American god known for his ability to trick humans by changing his form and appearance
- much as glass reacts with light and its environment.
Shawn Forsman and John Parken Kinesava GlassWorks

COMMUNITY DIALOGUE
We continue our process of interviews/feedback. This format offers the community an opportunity to share their viewpoint, as well as bring focus to topics that might not be spoken about in a public forum. With each issue we will try to
present a broad base of voices.

Why did you get involved in art?

“It was color; the reds, flame orange, yellow-gold, and rusts of maples and aspens in the fall. The way the light fell on the grass, the black green shadows of juniper. It was the intense blue of sky against Entrada, Navajo, and Kayenta sandstones.

The bluegreen grays of sage. The deep cadmium yellow of chamisa bloom. The black blue shine of basalt boulders resting in salmon pink sand. It was the wind, the wet scent of rain on sage and creosote. The shape of shadow and light upon a face… upon naked hills. The cut of water in branching arroyos. All the patterns of the lands. Always…. Color and light.”
Royden Card, Virgin

“I am involved in art mainly to share with others the beautiful places that exist in
nature. I try to not only capture a beautiful landscape, but the mood I felt while taking the photograph. I enjoy being out in nature, away from everything and everyone and experiencing the raw emotions of being alive in the elements.”
David J. West, Springdale

“After nearly twenty years of making pottery and sculpture, the honeymoon is still on. I enjoy making objects because of the endless possibilities; my studio practice is never static and I’m always curious. Tomorrow’s pottery and sculpture will be better than today’s.

The arts bring interesting and wonderful people into our home gallery. We love the relationships that have developed over the years. Thank you for all the support that makes it possible for me to keep making.”
Russell Wrankle, Toquerville