LCCC exhibition explores memory, nostalgia through contemporary glass

CHEYENNE, Wyoming –Memory and nostalgia take shape in glass this fall as artist Jaclyn Miller brings “Remember What this Feels Like” to Laramie County Community College.

The exhibition will be on display Sept. 21-Oct. 29 in the Esther & John Clay Fine Art Gallery on LCCC’s Cheyenne campus. A free artist talk is set for 1:30-2:15 p.m. Sept. 30 in the Surbrugg/Prentice Auditorium, followed by a reception from 2:15-3:15 p.m. The exhibition, artist talk and reception are free and open to the public.

"I'm excited for the opportunity to bring a taste of the stained-glass craft to students who might not have had access to it,” Miller said. “I often wonder what my direction as an artist would have looked like if I'd found glass sooner and appreciate the ability to bring more diversity of materials to student experimenting and learning."

Miller is a contemporary stained and fused glass artist whose work centers on memory and nostalgia. Working from Denver, Colorado, she uses glass to revisit familiar imagery and experiences while exploring how material, light and surface can shape a viewer’s sense of recognition.

Her practice extends beyond traditional stained-glass techniques. Miller incorporates processes including painting, etching, sandblasting, fusing and poured mirror stenciling, often combining several approaches within a single piece. The result is a contemporary visual language built through a medium with centuries of history.

Originally from Orlando, Florida, Miller earned a bachelor’s degree in art with a mixed media concentration from Stetson University in 2009. Her creative work has moved through several mediums, including self-published comics, ceramics and illustration, before she began working with stained glass in 2019.

Miller likes to combine multiple surface-manipulation techniques in her work. "I'm always looking for new tools to add to my kit, and ways I can have more say in the components that make up a finished panel or piece. When I first started in glass, the magic was in what I could find off the shelf to express my vision; now, it's in how I can use those base materials as a jumping off point for a more nuanced conversation between each component piece that makes up a finished composition."

Miller has since continued developing her glass practice through specialized study and exhibitions. Her work has appeared in exhibitions and events in Colorado and California, including the Rocky Mountain Triennial at the Museum of Art Fort Collins. She currently serves on the board of directors for the Stained Glass Association of America and works as education coordinator for D&L Art Glass Supply in Denver.

During her visit to LCCC, Miller will also work directly with regional high school students as part of the college’s High School Art Intensive. Classroom workshops will also take place on Sept. 30, giving participating students an opportunity to learn from Miller and engage with her approach to contemporary glass art.