HELLO FROM EVERMORE!

Welcome! Let me give you a short intro. My home and studio is in the country, five miles out from a small town and an hour out from St. Paul and Minneapolis in Minnesota. I have a short walk down to the St. Croix River Valley, which has been a part of my life for many years. It is designated a national scenic river which acts as a border between Wisconsin and Minnesota. Our landmark is one acre in size. Connie and I have named it Evermore. The living room foundation of field stone has held the log structure since the mid-1850s; an addition was added in 1990. The two plus size garage has become my studio.

Looking back, paths that I’ve run down include art student, picture framer, graphic designer, original banner graphic communications called “Bannerman,” European furniture sales, faux finisher of surfaces, display of architectural antique elements, garden feature designer and installer, husband and father. Answers to the question of where have the years gone? I’ve accomplished over 100 project commissions through my studio Ned Sounder Designs. So, why do I do what I do? It’s a curious thing! Why did it take so many years for a few inclinations to lodge into place? The last major inclination – what I call my “breakthrough” moment – was not to use a glass cutter for every piece large or same – NO – instead I grabbed a large hammer – and then “shattered” became the right word! Now I have adapted to using shards of glass, which give a more organic visual and textural quality. I work piece by piece, which brings up another question: why do I have so much patience for this process and not so much for other processes? I think it’s because the end result is so beautiful. So after distilling down multiple directions, I find that I am “all in” on the glass paintings adventure.

- Ned

Below: A sampling of Ned Souder’s works over the years in varied mediums and settings.