Today we’d like to introduce you to Nora Escobedo-Gustafson Brown.
Hi Nora, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Although I always loved working with my hands as a young child, I never gave myself permission to do it growing up because I didn’t have a natural talent for it. I focused on the artforms I had a knack for like singing & dancing, & didn’t reintroduce visual art into my life until college. I started an Arts In Healthcare minor at Columbia College Chicago and learned how much expressive artmaking could benefit mental and even physical health. Focusing on how cathartic it felt rather than critiquing myself on the final product was liberating & reawakened a deep love for creating. From that point on I tried a lot of artforms looking for what would be “my thing.” I drew, and painted, and marbled, and photoshopped. I poured glitter on wood & glued cellophane onto canvases. I worked with pompoms and fabric and anything I could get my hands on as a broke 20 something with a musical theater degree. That exploration period gave me the catharsis of creating, but I still didn’t feel like I had found my niche- Until late 2020 my creative mother in law brought me to her workshop and showed me the most recent artform that she had been learning, stained glass. Working with glass is a very involved process and to end up with a finished piece involves designing, scoring & breaking, grinding, foiling, soldering, cleaning, and polishing. My MIL patiently walked me through each step, and the variety of tools and procedures kept me interested through the whole process. At the end of my visit I left with a shiny blue and pink spider web we had made together. I held it in my hands and I was hooked. I told my family “I think I’m going to dedicate my life to this.” I am so lucky to have parents that always encouraged me to express myself and fostered my love for art and performance. So instead of brushing off my most recent whim, they took me seriously & got excited for me. For Christmas that year all the close people in my life gave me the tools and supplies I needed to get started. Because of their support & my MIL’s guidance, I was able to practice at home & learn quickly. I took a few classes with the wonderful people at Blue Moon Glassworks which refined and broadened my skill set. Eventually I got the nerve to start an Instagram page dedicated to my glasswork, and that’s how Bluebrows Handmade was born. Promoting myself and sharing my work made me feel so vulnerable and exposed. As soon as I made the page I tried to take it down and just couldn’t figure out how. But one by one messages poured in from friends, family, and acquaintances wanting to commission me. It was a dream come true to be seen and appreciated as an artist, and it was one of the best days of my life. From there I started a website and eventually I applied for shows and markets as well. I was lucky that my first experience putting my glass on display was at The Little Gay Shop’s Halloween market which went better than I ever could have imagined. They were able to gather hundreds of art lovers who showered me with appreciation and patronage. I would soon come to realize not all markets end up being so wonderful, but this first experience was so special to me that I have continued with markets for years now. Since then, a curator for Triple Z Threadz reached out to me and I’ve had the pleasure of stocking my glass with them since late 2023. Seeing my art in the window of a super cool store on South Congress is so surreal and I am so grateful my glass has a home there. Being a one person small business is hard but I truly run off the kindness and encouragement of others who support my work and send opportunities my way.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The biggest bumps in the road for me come from my own brain. The idea of putting myself and my work out into the world for anyone to see and judge and belittle used to be crippling for me. The fear of rejection tied me down for most of my life and it was my downfall for my musical theater dreams. I was so terrified of failure that I kept myself from ever really trying my hardest or taking risks for anything. Early in my journey with glass I had a dream that my high school theater director said to me “It’s such a shame you never made anything of yourself. You were good, but you were just never brave enough.” That dream kicked my ass in gear. I felt like glass could be my second chance as an artist and I would never forgive myself if I got in my own way again. It turns out that when it comes to glass, consistently sharing and promoting my work chipped away at my rejection sensitivity little by little until it was virtually nonexistent. Now I can make instagram posts and apply to markets without a second thought to doubt myself. My other big hurdle is wrangling my ferocious executive dysfunction. I’ve learned this past year with the help of professionals that my brain has a bunch of extra hoops to jump through compared to the average person. I have so much vision in my head, but transforming ideas into action is a daily challenge for me. I often struggle with decision paralysis and task initiation, even when it comes to fun and rewarding activities like glasswork. Those challenges grow larger when it comes to the more practical business side of things. Keeping track of my spending and earnings, responding to emails, updating my website, content creating, etc… Wearing all these hats can be a hard balancing act, and can lead to a slower pace in my creativity. What makes the biggest impact for me is having a supportive partner who is always willing to help. My husband Zac is the scientific, innovative, organized compliment to my creative chaos. He thinks one step ahead in all the not fun areas of my business. He bought me a work bench and set up my work area for me. He made all my finance spreadsheets and taught me how to do my taxes. He drives me to my markets & lugs my heavy supplies around. He props up my table and tent and sticks around for the long days in the booth. He remembers to take payment for my pieces when he sees me handing them over & waving goodbye. With him by my side, the machine stays well oiled. So much of Bluebrows Handmade is possible because of his natural inclination to help, his creative problem solving, and his wish for me to succeed in what I love.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m an incredibly sentimental person. My work is a celebration of all the things in life that are closest to my heart. The TexMex traditions and foods I grew up with, the wildflowers of Texas, the marriage of southern and queer culture that blossoms in Austin, Y2K nostalgia, and the resistance of those who are oppressed. The pieces I am most proud of are those which represent liberation & and have raised money for charitable causes. Regardless of subject matter, all my pieces tend to be loud and joyful. I love working with bright transparent glass that transforms the light in a room. I get so much joy from creating silly and pretty things that my inner child would like. What I make now is not so different from what I would make as an 8 year old, just in a different medium and a bit more refined. I enjoy preserving happy memories or memorializing passed loved ones. I’ve also been having a lot of fun lately making functional pieces like hanging shelves/sconces, jewelry, coasters, bolo ties, croc charms, hair clips, and magnets. It’s hard to describe what exactly sets me apart from other stained glass artists, but when a bunch of us are together at a market it’s clear we all have our own voice. Even when our subject matter occasionally overlaps, we represent our inspiration in unique ways. That being said, I would guess that my most recognizable pieces are my pride rainbow cowboy boots & my large Texas with pressed flowers. Some signals a piece may be mine are 1) mixed mediums like encased pressed flowers, photos, or fabric between glass pieces, 2) painted details 3) stained glass jewelry with dichroic glass & a softened naked edge (meaning I don’t foil and solder them so they’re lightweight & skin safe).
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I’m tempted to say the biggest lesson I’ve learned on this journey is to express yourself however you can, even if you’re afraid or don’t have natural talent for it. But really, the revelation that rocked my world as an artist was how much people want to support you. When I started sharing my art I braced myself for criticism and disapproval. But I’m 4 years in and have overwhelmingly been met with kindness, encouragement, and support. I’m still in awe of the people around me who are always sending opportunities my way. I have been so uplifted by the generous organizers behind The Little Gay Shop, Local Queer, Austin Queer Connection, Triple Z Threadz, Big ole Queer Market, East Side Pop Up, and close friends who wear my jewelry or walk into shops and recommend me. Even people who aren’t in a position to buy something from me will come visit me at my markets & share my work on social media. I had a client who asked me to make a glass flower wedding hoop for her to walk down the aisle. When I told her I wasn’t confident I would be able to do that, she assured me that I could, and so I did! Being trusted with that kind of once in a lifetime moment was so meaningful to me. It’s so special to be the maker of so many gifts people choose for their loved ones. Many of the wonderful opportunities that have come my way are because of the generosity of others. Of course, I am not for everybody and there are people who think of my work as overpriced, or unserious. There are people who will put in an order and never pay for it. However, by and large people have surprised me with all the love, care, and kind words they are willing to give.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bluebrowshandmade.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/bluebrows_handmade
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@bluebrows_handmade?_t=ZT-8uc2bfi2zQQ&_r=1
