WMODA members were invited to an exclusive workshop in February, led by Chelsea Rousso, to design and create a fused-glass amulet. Designed for protection and power, these glass symbols are a visual reminder of strength, healing, and intention. Chelsea was awarded a grant from the Broward County Cultural Division for a series of Amulets of Light workshops, which provided spaces for healing and creativity around the county during February.

In a world filled with negativity, uncertainty and emotional overload, glass art is a tool for light, connection and personal empowerment. Drawing on ancient traditions of amulet-making, the workshops combined the magical properties of color and symbol with the elemental power of fire and light to create radiant glass art.

Throughout human history, people from every culture have created symbolic objects believed to hold protective or empowering energy. From ancient Egyptian scarabs and Nordic runes to Middle Eastern hamsas and healing crystals, these artifacts are either worn, carried, or placed in sacred spaces. The amulets serve as tangible links to the unseen, offering strength, comfort, and spiritual focus.

The Amulets of Light project bridges this timeless tradition with the luminous medium of fused glass, a material that itself embodies transformation, resilience, and clarity. Chelsea approaches glass not only as a material but as a metaphor; something both fragile and strong, transparent and mysterious, able to reflect and refract light. She guides her workshop participants to see glass not simply as a craft but as a vessel for intention. The kiln becomes an alchemical space where ideas are made physical and energy is transformed.

All the workshop participants learned basic fused glass techniques – cutting, layering, and designing with color, texture, and transparency. Then Chelsea took each amulet to her studio for kiln firing. All the glass creations from this workshop series are now part of the new Amulets of Light installation at WMODA, which runs until May 17, which Chelsea describes as a radiant visual tapestry of resilience and hope, a “constellation of protection.”

The Amulets of Light community-based glass workshops were made possible thanks to the support of the Broward County Cultural Division.

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