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A Glass Ar tist with a Colorful View S he grew up on the Big Sur coast, surrounded by artists—both fam- ily members and friends—with her father Greg Hawthorne's studio and gallery next door. It was no surprise that Shelby Hawthorne would choose a career in the arts. The only question was: which medium? Hawthorne found her answer in her freshman year at California College of the Arts. "I started there thinking I'd be working in sculpture," she recalls. "But I took a glass class and fell in love." She eventually found her way to the epicenter of that discipline: Tacoma, Washington, home of the Guru of Glass, Dale Chihuly. For a time, she interned at the Museum of Glass in that city, learning glassblowing and glass casting techniques. Returning to her roots, the artist joined other up-and-coming local artists and made the pilgrimage to Sand City, setting up her studio in a loft above Fred Saunders' Sculpture Works on Elder Avenue. Here, she con- centrates on producing the colorful plates, windows and freestanding glass sculptures that are quickly becoming her trademarks. "This is a wonderful, inspirational community full of working ar tists," she says. Hawthorne has forged a fruitful relationship with Big Sur's Post Ranch Inn, incorporating several sculptural window pieces in the architecture. She's also worked with John Cox, executive chef of the resort's sublime Sierra Mar Restaurant for the past two years, creating plates for that establishment's signature food. "Many restaurants' plates provide a canvas for their food," Cox says. "But Shelby's plates go several steps further, fashioning an environment for our dishes. Her designs allow the food and the plate to combine into one piece of art." While her studio is not open to the public, Hawthorne does offer tours by appointment for those interested in observing how her process works. Her work will be on display at the 2015 West End Celebration in Sand City, August 21 through 23. Visit www.shelbyhawthorne.com for more information and to arrange a studio tour. —Michael Chatfield SHORTCUTS ART Shelby Hawthorne, daughter of artist Greg Hawthorne, studied glassblowing and glass casting techniques before opening her studio in Sand City. Her colorful plates set the inviting stage for the beautiful meals at the famous Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur. 80 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 5 Photo: Kelli Uldall