Why I’m Starting a Blog

Artists Debra Adelson and Pavel Novák at the 2025 PMA Craft Show

I’ve been making my work for years — creating pieces that never existed before, exploring form, texture, and color, and shaping one-of-a-kind objects that I hope bring a little magic into someone’s everyday life. I love what I do, and I’m endlessly fascinated by the materials, the process, and the small discoveries that happen at the bench every day.

I graduated from Tyler School of Art in 1996, and shortly thereafter began showing my work in art fairs and exhibitions. Over the years, these shows have been an important way to connect with collectors and fellow artists.

As I look ahead to 2026, I’m making a more concerted effort to focus on sharing my work, my process, and my story with the world. I want to give you — my customers and fellow art lovers — a more in-depth peek behind the curtain at how these pieces come to life.

Most of all, I want to bring more people to my website, so my work can reach collectors, enthusiasts, buyers (wink, wink), and anyone who appreciates hand-crafted, sculptural art — without relying solely on shows. This blog is part of that effort: a way to stay connected, share the journey, and let you in on what inspires me.

I hope you enjoy following along. There’s so much to see, and I can’t wait to show you more.

I’m excited to see where this blog will go in the months to come — kind of like watching a piece of glass slowly take shape under the wheels and polishing stones. I can’t promise it will always be serious; there will probably be a few “oops” moments, a lot of inspiration, and maybe the occasional studio snack break photo. But mostly, I hope it’s a place where you can peek behind the curtain, see what’s catching my eye, and share a little of the wonder that keeps me coming back to the bench every day.

Pavel Novák in his booth at the 2026 PMA Craft Show.

Behind the Scenes of Our Creative Life: My Podcast Conversation on Philly Has heART

Recently, my husband — glass artist Pavel Novák — and I joined the hosts of the Philly Has heART podcast— and I joined the hosts of the Philly Has heART podcast to talk about our work, our creative paths, and the very different ways we each approach the same material. It was a warm, generous conversation that felt less like an interview and more like studio friends swapping stories over the hum of equipment and half-finished pieces.
[Philly Has heART podcast]

Where Our Creative Paths Began

One of the first topics we dove into was how we each found our way into making. Our stories couldn’t be more different — and yet, they somehow led us to the same life.

Pavel was born and raised in the Czech Republic, where glass is more than a material — it’s part of the cultural landscape. He works with optical glass, entirely through cold working: grinding, polishing, laminating, cutting, and sandblasting. Every surface, every crisp edge, every layer of color is shaped by hours of meticulous, hands-on labor.

His sculpture is defined by clean geometric forms, bold color, and a sense of optical play — reflections folding in on themselves, light refracting into unexpected directions, and negative space becoming part of the design. The result is a body of work that explores balance between symmetry and asymmetry, positive and negative space, shape and color, all while engaging with light in mesmerizing ways.

My own path began at Tyler School of Art, where I studied jewelry design and silversmithing. For the first ten years of my career, I did not make jewelry at all — instead, I focused on housewares and functional objects, such as baby spoons, serving pieces, and other tactile, everyday items. About ten years ago, I shifted my work entirely to glass, drawn to its sculptural possibilities, its interaction with light, and its capacity for unique, one-of-a-kind expression. I’ve always been fascinated by how light interacts with form, and how pieces can feel like small sculptures that are made to be worn. Color, texture, movement — these are the elements that guide me.

While we both work in glass, our approaches are very different: Pavel’s process is methodical, precise, and deliberate, shaped by his temperament and sensibility; mine is more experimental, intuitive, and responsive. Same medium, two very different processes and ways of thinking.

Inside Our Processes

The hosts asked about how we actually make our work — the parts no one sees on social media.

Pavel described the precision of cold working optical glass: the grinding wheels, the endless polishing stages, the careful laminated color layers, and the way geometry becomes a design tool. It’s an incredibly physical process, but also deeply exacting — one wrong angle changes how the entire piece bends light.

I talked about my own process of carving glass over multiple days, selecting stones that have presence or personality, and building one-of-a-kind designs that evolve at the bench. My pieces shift in color and transparency as the wearer moves. His pieces bend and refract light like tiny architectural objects. Same medium, very different processes and sensibilities — but a shared fascination with what light can do.

Why Conversations Like This Matter

Most days, we’re both buried in work — carving, grinding, polishing, assembling. We don’t often stop to talk about why we’re drawn to this kind of making, or what keeps us inspired through the difficult parts.

This interview gave us the chance to reflect on our histories, our challenges, and the stubborn devotion required to build a creative life. It also reminded me how much I enjoy sharing the stories behind the work — the materials, the process, and the ideas that shape each piece.

Listen to the Full Episode

You can listen to the full conversation here:
[Philly Has heART podcast]

It’s a thoughtful, sometimes funny look at what it means to build a studio-centered life, and we’re grateful we had the chance to share our story.

Check Out Pavel Novák’s Work

Explore Pavel’s stunning optical glass sculptures online or see them in person year-round at the Palm Beach Art, Antique, and Design Show Room. His work is a masterful study of color, light, and geometric form — not to be missed!

Why I’m Starting a Blog & Our Conversation on Philly Has heART