Kristi Totoritis is an artist--or so she claims. She's a waitress too, working at Bellytimber on W. Main St. In some ways, she's the embodiment of the artistic cliché: waiting tables while she realizes her dream, her creative goal. However, Kristi is actually an artist--and a damn good one at that. She mainly works with glass, but also makes jewelry and paints. Glass, though, is her passion, and is what she sees herself doing for the rest of her life.
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When we agree to meet, she shows up sleepy eyed, quiet, and composed. It's early for her, and she insists on coffee before we start speaking. She's tattooed, dressed almost entirely in black, minus the brightly colored bow in her hair. She is the physical representation of part of her artistic vision--“cute and gritty,” as she puts it. At 25, she's accomplished a lot. Kristi holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Crafts and Materials studies. She is a contracted artist at the Chrysler Museum of Art and she's hiked the Incan trail--one of her proudest achievements. Rather than settling in, Kristi seems likes she's just winding up.
“I'd like to be studying as an assistant under a master,” she says when I ask about her future plans, her goals as a burgeoning artist. “I've never lost the urge to keep studying and learning. I'm not as much about trying to build an empire of my own as I am about trying to experience as much of the glass world as there is to experience.” It's an interesting concept--traveling in order to foster professional and creative growth, rather than planting roots and staying put. In the glass world, though, it seems to be the best way to do things. Not many artists have the time or means to maintain a full time studio and hotshop (torch-working space). And since glass is such a small community, a nomadic lifestyle seems like the best way to keep in touch and continually progress as an artist.
“I probably want to be on the West Coast within the next few years, because there are so many opportunities for glass artists,” she says. “I just want to travel constantly, and study under people that are, you know, masters, and that started the glass art trend.” The growing glass trend, according to Kristi, seems to be gaining a foothold in the contemporary art world. Many artists and artistic institutions are choosing to use glass as a main medium; including the Chrysler Museum of Art, which opened its glass studio last November.
For a venerable art form that’s suddenly gaining new relevance, very little of the methodology has changed. “None of the tools have changed in centuries,” Kristi states. “The blowpipe was invented in 50BC. The main difference now is fuel source. We have a crucible [at the Chrysler] that sits at 2,150 degrees.” Even while in college, Totoritis claims that students in her program were encouraged to study as many different things as possible. Her shift into working with glass was quite accidental--most of the other courses had already filled for the semester. Kristi had originally wanted to “do furniture. All of the furniture and beginning wood classes were full, and an advisor suggested kiln casting, and glass casting. I became addicted instantly to glass as a material.”
“I look at a lot of iconography.” Kristi says when asked about her methodology and inspirations. “I think I try to evoke emotions. I think of things first in a painterly fashion, and 2D; they're usually compositions that tell a story.” From there, Kristi's process diversifies dependent on the piece. As we spoke, she gained momentum in her explanations, getting more excited as she told me about the different ways in which she works. Some pieces, for example, are cut from larger pre-existing glass sheets. Others, she makes molds of first, and then casts. Some, take weeks to complete, going through phase after phase of casts and revisions. “It's different every time really,” she says. “I think when I get excited about making something in glass, it's a pretty immediate, see it through to the end, kind of thing. Sometimes I'll get an hour into the setup, and just never finish [the project] until two years later. I'm a multi-tasker, and work on more than one thing at a time.”
Glass isn't the most exciting thing to many people, however. Glass working is not usually the first thing that pops into mind when speaking about art, and most do not seek out handmade wares to serve as everyday dishes. However, Kristi's vision and process may be helping to change that. She describes her pieces as “kitschy,” “girly,” and “gritty,” combining contemporary and extraneous inspirations into one moldable form. “I think most of my upbringing--counterculture music, skateboarding, and tattoo flash--subconsciously all of these things play into my mind when I work. I think there's something about trying to be cute and gritty at the same time.” With work ranging from jewelry to a large candelabra called Witching Hour, along with paintings, prints, and other glass sculptures, Kristi is constantly creating, spending “at least eight hours a week” in the studio. Along with her energy, her multimodal approach helps her to stand out as an artist. By working with multiple media, her work continually remains viable, which in turn reflects itself in the glass.
America as a whole seems to be cutting in on the glass trend. “The glass art studio movement in American only started 50 years ago; it's slowly growing to be important. Handmade things for some people will never die.” Kristi understands this importance, and sees it as a vital part of both her artistic integrity and her creativity. When asked about the recent Dale Chihuly exhibit at the VMFA, she seemed less than thrilled. While the works were impressive to her, she found it bothersome that the artist had chosen not to credit the dozens of understudies and assistants that played critical roles in the physical manifestations of the pieces. For Kristi, her attachment to her work seems much more direct, and that connection plays a huge role in her creative process and her sales.
“I typically daydream, and then I get ideas, and then from those ideas, I always want to make them in glass,” she explains. “I try to visualize the end result, and then decide if I need to blow it, or cut it from sheet glass, or paint it. Sometimes it's a really relaxed process that I can do at home, and sometimes it's a very organized 8 week process where I make molds, bake it, let it cool, and then de-mold it.” Kristi works in many ways to continually orient herself to the glass artist's lifestyle. “My biggest gripe as a glass artist is storage for all of my toys. I sort of buy one material at a time, in bulk, so it's like being a hoarder.” This physical connection translates itself into many of her pieces, again re-emphasizing the importance of hand-made artifacts.
This mentality seems to be rubbing off on art collectors as well. Kristi says she's been commissioned for glass pieces, paintings, and jewelry. However, she does not always start a piece with the intent of turning a profit. Word of mouth, she says, is still the best way to gain new customers, and has done more for the glass community and her work than anything else.
While Kristi has access to studios in Richmond, including The Glass Spot, a hot shop run by Chris Skibby; and Influence, a torch working studio; as well as her time at the Chrysler, she is still continually seeking out new ways to expand her craft, and learn new skills. “I don't feel worried by the fact that I'm not a full time artist. I try to save a lot, and hopefully will go on a glass adventure in the future if an opportunity is offered to me. I think it gives your mind space to not be so drowned in the art world. I like having the mental break, and having a job separated from art.”
Kristi's works can be seen and purchased at kristitotoritis.com.