Dean Bensen and Demetra Theofanous

Collaborative artists Dean Bensen and Demetra Theofanous create narrative and dynamic wall sculptures representing the ethereality of all living things.  They utilize the ancient technique of Pate de Verre which offers a detailed and painterly approach to casting that is well suited to their hyper-realistic installations.

"Technique merges with narratives in my work, to express metaphorical bridges between nature and human beings.  Inspired by the storytelling tradition of woven tapestry and basketry, I see myself as weaving with glass to connect the viewer with the story of the natural world.  Through the delicate leaves in each piece, I seek to depict the cycle of life: growth, discovery, change and renewal.  I use the fluidity and fragility of glass to express the beauty and vulnerability

inherent in the human experience.” – Demetra Theofanous

"I explore the beauty and meaning in nature's footprints - the traces it leaves through patterns, colors, and textures - to reflect the passage of time and the inevitable cycle of life" – Dean Bensen