Brian Dugan began working in glass nearly 25 years ago. As a child, he was drawn to many mediums of craft and art, spending time drawing abstrack works in ink and colored pencil. After moving to Hawaii in 1996, he transitioned to watercolor painting using primarly bright, vibrant colors and painting landscapes and tropical themes. At this time, he began working for an art gallery and was introduced to the medium of fused glass. Inspired by seeing various blown and fused glass artists showing in the gallery, he started a hobby in glass by acquiring an old kiln, some basic tools, and sheet glass. After a year or two, he had begun making many kinds of glass pieces, including jewelry, plates, tiles, and more. The hobby progressed slowly to a business and, by the early 2000s, he was selling works throughout Hawaii and on the mainland.
"Working with glass inspires me creatively more than anything in my life. Kiln-formed glass, whether it be fusing or casting, provides an endless source of possibilities and end results. The mixing of various glass combinations and the use of iridescent and dichroic coatings further the pallet of color and magical dimension.
"I choose to work with a lot of blue in my jewelry and plates. The many shades of blue are all around us in Hawaii. It reminds me of the beautiful ocean waters and the dramatic sky. Creating larger works in black irid glass and red with dichroics allows me to express the vocanic and rugged nature of the Big Island..."
He currently lives on Kapa'au on the Big Island with his wife Camille and son Ian.