Shawn describes her work as Impressionistic; inspired by flowers, gardens and landscapes and washed with splashes of vibrant color on a 3-dimensional canvas of glass. Each piece is individually designed and hand-blown, using colored glass powders and chips to produce a painterly effect. Transparent veils of color, seemingly frozen in motion, float through her paperweights, while bowls and plates of undulating glass echo the graceful simplicity of forms in nature. Her pieces are alive with a fluidity of motoin, each expertly crafted and produced, to achieve a unique expression of the artist herself.

Shawn E. Messenger holds a BFA from the Cleveland Institute of ARt, and has furthered her study in glass at The Pilchuck Glass Center and The Toledo Museum of Art. Since 1979, Shawn has exhibited her award-winning pieces at national shows and competitions, including those held at the Cleveland Museum of ARt and the Toledo Museum of Art. Her work can be found in private collections throughout the United States, Japan, France and Germany.

Shawn lives with her family in Toledo, Ohio, where she maintains a studio, creating pieces of fine art glass which are sold in galleries and shops across the country.