A dynamic community of visual artists in all stages of development, united to exhibit and sell art.
Buenaventura Art Gallery 700 E. Santa Clara, Ventura, CA 93001 • 805.648.1235 • Open: Tues - Fri: noon - 5; Sat 11 am - 5
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Ventura Harbor Village • Ventura, CA 93001 • 805.644.2750 • Open: Wed - Mon 11 am - 5, closed Tues.
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Frances Elson

My professional career(s) over the past thirty years certainly speaks for my willingness to re-invent myself. Beginning with a Masters Degree in Social Work, I worked as a clinical therapist, then as an administrator (both in Michigan). Then a move to upstate New York led me to teaching at the State University of New York. After my husband, Ed, and I settled in Ventura, California I taught Social Work at UCSB extension and did some clinical work but finally gave in to my love of architecture and design. True to my character, I jumped into that world at the retail furniture level while learning about the field of interior design. In 1975 I opened my design studio, soon tested to qualify as a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers, and ultimately opened Gold Coast Design Center, a resource for other designers in the area. In the meantime my daughter Cheri had married her charming husband, Alec, and given us the gift of two incredible grandchildren, Yoni and Tari, and I had become very involved in volunteer work. It was clear to me that the time had come for another change, so, in 1998, when my fabulous husband and I moved to our own little paradise in Somis, I felt the time had come to exit the interior design field and, one more time, to reinvent Frances Elson.

Maybe it's the designer in me that's "redecorating" my life every now and then.

Having always loved any art form involving glass, and having wished often that I had the time and opportunity to pursue this passion, I finally took the plunge into classes and, again, just dived in! Thank goodness for my husband, Ed, who has always been supportive and who truly challenged me to "just do it". So here I am, another incarnation of Fran as Frances Elson - glass artist !

Please feel free to browse at the photos of my work, and contact me with any questions or comments. I'd be happy to talk with you about designing special projects: tableware, tiles, gift items or any other items that you dream of and that I can find a way to fabricate in glass.

See more Elson's work at www.FrancesElson.com

20" platter, fused and slumped dichroic glass
12" bowl, fused and slumped, open weave
"Fran's Folly", 24" x 24" fused and slumped glass including heat formed beads and cabochons.
Neck collar of fused pendants, glass beads
Dichroic glass pendant, gold filled ball.
7" bowl, fused and slumped glass, open weave
"Cityscape", triptych of fused and slumped glass with heat-formed elements. Prepared for wall mounting. Total size is 48" x 22".