Featured Artist Cora Salvino

Artist Cora Salvino shares a compelling portfolio and her personal journey from the delivery room to the glass studio. Visit her website to see more.

 

 

I was born and raised in Chicago. The vibrancy of the city and its art scene shaped much of my early years. However, my path to becoming a glass artist wasn’t an obvious one.

 

 

In fact, my journey was anything but linear. I spent much of my life in the medical field as an OB/GYN physician. I delivered babies and cared for women’s health, all while raising four children with my supportive husband. Art—specifically glass art—was a passion that always simmered in the background, waiting for its time to shine.

 

 

Growing up in a bustling city, I always had an appreciation for art. But it wasn’t until I took a stained glass class in college that I truly felt a spark. There was something about working with glass—its fragility, and its potential for beauty—that captivated me.

 

 

Later I switched to fused glass. I dabbled with it during the limited free time I had between seeing patients and managing my family. I’d sneak into the studio whenever I could, using those precious moments to explore the art form. I created small glass panels that became a personal escape from the fast-paced, high-stakes world of medicine.

 

 

Balancing my demanding career and motherhood left little room for creative endeavors, but I found the act of working with glass to be therapeutic. It was a way for me to unwind, focus, and connect to a world outside the operating room. Glass became a metaphor for my own life—fragile yet strong, delicate yet capable of transformation. I would mold and shape the glass as it took form, much like how I had nurtured my children and my medical career, always adapting, always evolving.

 

 

When I retired from medicine, I knew that it was finally time to dedicate myself fully to glass art. It felt like the perfect time to give this lifelong passion the attention it deserved. I built a studio in my home, where I could create glass sculptures, bowls, and intricate designs, exploring the medium in new ways.

 

 

Every day in the studio feels like a fresh opportunity to push the boundaries of my skills, experimenting with color, texture, and form.

 

 

My work is deeply personal, shaped by the experiences of my past—the birth of my children, the lives I helped bring into the world, and the resilience required in both medicine and art. Glass is the perfect representation of these themes. It requires patience, care, and attention to detail. I see beauty in its imperfections and fragility, much as I see beauty in the human experience.

 

 

Now, as I embrace this new chapter of my life, I’m excited to share my work with others, knowing that it took a lifetime of experience to bring me to this point. From the delivery room to the glass studio, I’ve learned that life is about growth, reinvention, and the courage to follow your passions—no matter where they take you.

 

Cora Salvino invites you to follow on Facebook and Instagram.

 

 

Want to stay current on cutting edge business articles from Artsy Shark, plus artist features, and an invitation to the next Call for Artists? Click below to sign up for our twice-monthly email. You’ll get all this plus opportunities and special offers that you can’t get anywhere else!