Today we’d like to introduce you to Cora Salvino.
Hi Cora, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in the nearby suburb of Elmwood Park. Growing up, my childhood was suburban and didn’t have much in the way of artistic influence—my family didn’t have any particular connections to the arts. Despite that unassuming background, I found my own creative identity, driven by curiosity and an unexpected spark that ignited during my college years.
The moment that shaped my path as an artist came unexpectedly during a family trip to Murano, Italy, while I was in college. Immersed in the vibrant studios and centuries-old glassblowing traditions of Venice, I was captivated by the magic of blown glass. It wasn’t just the jewel-toned colors or the timeless forms—it was how the glass seemed to play with light, changing and coming alive. That experience stayed with me, quietly influencing my passions even as I put them aside to pursue a demanding career in medicine.
With determination, I attended medical school and became an OB/GYN, dedicating over four decades to women’s health. Throughout that time, glass remained a source of creative nourishment, a side pursuit that gained momentum as I approached retirement. Mostly self-taught, I eagerly absorbed knowledge about kiln forming and experimented with different techniques, developing a style characterized by rich texture and an invitation to light.
My glass creations are inspired by nature—the way sunlight filters through trees, the gentle ripple of water, and the subtle shimmer of leaves and petals. I’m drawn to the tactile possibilities of glass and often say that it is the “texture in glass that invites the light in and makes it shine.” My love for three-dimensional forms has become a defining feature of my work, and many have noted the vibrant colors and unique surface treatments I explore.
Though I have no formal art education or artistic lineage, my work has found its place in the public eye. I regularly exhibit at Houston’s Sawyer Yards, Primal Gallery, and the First Saturday Art Market, places where my pieces reach a broad and appreciative audience. Visitors often tell me they are struck by the bold use of color and light, as well as the joyful energy coming from each piece.
For me, creating art is an act of sharing—an offering meant to bring beauty and wonder into everyday life. I believe deeply in art’s power to enrich the spaces it inhabits and the lives it touches. Simply put, “glass makes me happy,” and I want to share that joy with others.
My work stands as a testament to persistence, curiosity, and the willingness to follow inspiration wherever it leads—even if that means building a world of radiant glass, one luminous form at a time.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I am largely self taught and had difficulty learning glass fusing until I discovered YouTube videos about the process.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I was one of the first wave of women in Medicine. Their had been a very small number of female physicians before the then but this changed drastically in the mid 1970’s when women were first admitted to medical school in numbers. My class was the first such class in my medical school. In addition to being a woman, I was also married, which really raised some eyebrows!
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I like the active art scene in Houston. Unfortunately, there are very few glass artists in this city, fused glass or not, so the art scene is not as open to glass art as it could be and is in other areas of the country.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.corasglass.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/corasglass
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/corasglass
