Artist of the Day...Introducing Minna Rosenwasser

I would like to introduce my readers to a Chicago artist Minna Rosenwasser. Though her talents go in many directions, she is best known for painting glass, wood, and plaster.

Each piece is unique and what I call affordable artwork. Why give someone a mass-produced gift when you can give them a one-of-a-kind piece made by an artist? And why not enrich your own life with a piece that is both lovely to gaze on and functional and one of a kind.

Minna, when did you start painting glass?

I started painting last year as I was going through chemo and radiation. I always have been a crafter. I knit and crochet, needlepoint, wood burning.

Minna, can you give me a little bit of your background? Where are you from? How did you come here?

I'm from Kiev, Ukraine, when my family and I came to the USA; it used to be USSR. We came to America as political refugees.

Minna, do you have children, and if you do, did they inherit your artist gene?

I have two girls ( young adults), one of them is pretty artistic, and the other is good at other things.

Minna, what inspires you to create a piece?

Every piece I create is feeling inspired at that moment. I sometimes dream of the color combination.

How do you settle on your colors and design?

As I mentioned, I sometimes dream of the color combination. Every piece is full of my energy and feeling. Painting makes me happy.

Do you make custom pieces for, let's say, a couple's wedding or a special birthday or a housewarming?

Yes, I have made many custom pieces for many different occasions.

Is your process complicated?

Not to me, I enjoy every moment of it. I love that I'm able to work with different surfaces. Wood takes a little more work and prosses than glass or plaster.

Tea Light

How long does it take to create one of your gorgeous pieces?

It all depends on the surfaces, size, and design.

Can you personalize the bottom of a piece with a painted message, for example, For Warren for his Birthday? ( I have a friend whose husband loves anything with a Russian influence, and I suspect my readers know other people who would be thrilled for a personalization)

I do not personalize my pieces. On the bottom of my work is my signature.

I can make it look like it is influenced by the customers' idea or a vision in the color combinations.

This candy dish is one of my favorites! The pink and gold are a color combination I am crazy about, and, well, when it comes to chocolate truffles, why not take something wonderful and make it fabulous...