Meet Haven Livingston | Artist, Field Biologist, Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Haven Livingston and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Haven, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
There have been times I wonder if the art I’m making is important or if I should keep on with it. I try to picture myself in another sort of job and how that would feel. Every time I imagine feeling frustrated that I won’t have time to get all of the images and emotions out of my head and body through another work of art. Even if I tried to give it up or do another job I think the creative process and my desire to make something with my hands would never go away. I would always be daydreaming about what I could create. So now, I never question if I should keep going. I know it’s inevitable.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I transitioned to full-time artist in midlife after over 20 years as a field biologist. All of my time spent mostly alone in the field – searching for nesting birds, researching tidepools, chasing desert tortoise – set me up with excellent observation skills and a love of landscape. Most of us are inspired by nature and want to bring those feelings home with us after spending time outside. My art stems from that desire and is an effort to bring the feeling of motion, the grandeur of landscape into view on a daily basis as a reminder of where we belong. These ecosystems need protection, but won’t get it unless people connect with them. My work as a biologist is one level of protection, and my effort to connect people to wildness through my art is another. Working with glass gives my work a dynamic quality that brings images alive. The colors and shadows change with the light throughout the day. It’s a personal challenge to create the soft curves of nature using the rigid medium of glass. Most people think of churches when I say stained glass, so it’s also my mission to bring stained glass into the modern age as a fine art. I work with a glass blower in Seattle who is the only full time studio in North America producing traditional mouth-blown sheet glass for stained glass. We develop specific colors and patterns in the glass that are totally unique from machine or hand rolled glass you find in most stores.The luminosity is unparalleled. Education is a big part of the conversation whenever I’m showing my art; I talk about the history of making glass and how stained glass can be used as both a free hanging art piece and an architectural element in the home. Glass is one of the longest lasting and most sustainable materials today. I love knowing that my artwork will endure for generations.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I currently don’t live in a city! My backyard is oak woodland and I’m a skip away from the South Fork American River and the Sierra Nevada mountains. Days start with a visit to the tiny and adorable Argonaut cafe in Marshall Gold State Park, where gold was first discovered in California. With a hot drink in hand the first must-do here is to run the river- a fun class III whitewater journey. For several years I taught whitewater kayaking here so my friends would be in good hands. A hot day on a cold river is best followed by a stop at one of the local produce stands for peaches and pies and a quiet sunset over the foothills. An hour into the mountains is Lovers Leap, a great rise of granite perfect for introductory rock climbing with enough to keep advanced climbers having fun too. In the winter ski touring is the activity of choice, with a packed lunch and hot cider to go. A little farther up the road is South Lake Tahoe, with all the things to do outside- hike, climb, SUP, ski – it’s it outdoor lovers paradise.

Of course, any visitor would be treated to a tour of my stained glass and mosaic art studio and a viewing of recent works in the windows. Artists and eccentrics are scattered around this sparsely populated Gold Country, so it’s hit or miss with visitors. Most people are outside adventuring!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My Mom has always told me to follow my heart and my partner, Phil, has been my biggest supporter since day one. Knowing they believe in me and are there to celebrate my successes and console me on my failures has made my journey a lot less scary than going it alone. I couldn’t have gotten this far without the help of countless other artists who have shared advice and experiences with me. Camaraderie is priceless!

Website: https://www.wavehavenglass.com/

Instagram: @wavehavenglass

Linkedin: Haven Livingston

Facebook: Wavehaven Glass

Image Credits
Haven Livingston Phil Boyer R.R. Jones