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March
2
2
The Story Behind Cleveland Street Glass, a Local Clevelander Turning Car Break Ins into Jewelry
A car break in is one of the most disheartening experiences someone can go through, but unfortunately, it's also one of the most common forms of burglary. In fact, hundreds of break ins are reported across the country every single day.
Although this is not something that any of us like to go through, one Cleveland resident is working to create a silver lining out of the experience. Deanna Dionne, owner of Cleveland Street Glass, creates gorgeous, statement jewelry pieces from the leftover auto glass swept off of the streets, allowing the victim of a break in to reclaim their stolen property in the form of something pretty and wearable. We spoke to Deanna to get the full story.
Deanna moved from her home in Michigan to an artist loft in Cleveland three years ago on a whim. She knew she wanted a fresh start, and Cleveland, with its affordable housing, thriving creative atmosphere and friendly people, drew her in immediately — but she didn't have an easy start. "Within a week, my car was broken into," she said. Of course she didn't know it at the time, but break ins are a common occurrence in her neighborhood, and residents there have just accepted it as a normal part of life.
"Over the next year I really started noticing the glass from break ins glittering on the streets," said Deanna. But the the idea to make this glass into jewelry didn't come to her immediately. She just noticed how pretty it looked shimmering in the sun while she was on her way to work some mornings, and she slowly started imagining how to turn the glass into art.
"My first project was actually a giant glass bowl, but that project didn't last long. I think I made it about four inches into the bowl before deciding that it was going to be a waste of time." Eventually, she decided to make the glass into wearable jewelry instead — earrings, necklaces, bracelets and the like, officially launching her business at the Cleveland Flea in May of 2016.
"It's definitely a process learning how to work with the glass and make it into jewelry," she said, "and I'm still learning, but it's fun to think of new ideas and new ways I can use the glass. "
Deanna loves making necklaces in particular, but she sets aside one week per month to focus on her earrings. She finds that forcing herself to set aside that time spurs her creativity and helps her create new things that her customers will love!
Deanna encourages people to call her or message her on Instagram if their car is broken into, and she gets those calls about once a month. When she hears about one, she will try to get over to the scene as quickly as possible, or she'll ask the caller to gather a small bag of glass for her that she can pick up later. She then makes several pieces of jewelry from the donated pile and lets the victim of the break in pick something they like, giving them first dibs on a piece made from their car!
"[A break in] is such a violation of your personal space and personal property," said Deanna. "What I find super gratifying is that I can take what was someone's property (their broken car window) and return that to them in a different form. I'm literally reclaiming that broken glass and adding value back to it. I find that really empowering."
It's not just Deanna that feels this way. She finds that other people, when their cars get broken into, feel good that they can contribute something beautiful and create something special out of their bad situation. She loves how the local community has supported her in this venture — the experience has made her fall even more in love with Cleveland and the people here.
"Everyone is very supportive," she explained. "This is a big experiment for me, and since people have responded super well, I kind of feel like I could do anything here! If you're a creative looking to start a brand, I think Cleveland is a wonderful place to do it."
This year she plans to ramp up her e-commerce on her website, where you can currently find several statement necklaces, everyday pieces and earring sets for purchase! Also look for her this year at pop-up events around town and at the Cleveland Flea, where she has her own booth for 2018. Find out more on her Facebook and Instagram pages, where she posts updates on new pieces and upcoming shows!
Deanna is always looking for local street glass to make her projects shine. If you happen to experience a car break in, send her a direct message via Facebook or Instagram to report it. You never know what she will be able to create from it!
All photos courtesy of Cleveland Street Glass
How Cleveland Street Glass Got Its Start
Deanna moved from her home in Michigan to an artist loft in Cleveland three years ago on a whim. She knew she wanted a fresh start, and Cleveland, with its affordable housing, thriving creative atmosphere and friendly people, drew her in immediately — but she didn't have an easy start. "Within a week, my car was broken into," she said. Of course she didn't know it at the time, but break ins are a common occurrence in her neighborhood, and residents there have just accepted it as a normal part of life.
"Over the next year I really started noticing the glass from break ins glittering on the streets," said Deanna. But the the idea to make this glass into jewelry didn't come to her immediately. She just noticed how pretty it looked shimmering in the sun while she was on her way to work some mornings, and she slowly started imagining how to turn the glass into art.
"My first project was actually a giant glass bowl, but that project didn't last long. I think I made it about four inches into the bowl before deciding that it was going to be a waste of time." Eventually, she decided to make the glass into wearable jewelry instead — earrings, necklaces, bracelets and the like, officially launching her business at the Cleveland Flea in May of 2016.
"It's definitely a process learning how to work with the glass and make it into jewelry," she said, "and I'm still learning, but it's fun to think of new ideas and new ways I can use the glass. "
Deanna loves making necklaces in particular, but she sets aside one week per month to focus on her earrings. She finds that forcing herself to set aside that time spurs her creativity and helps her create new things that her customers will love!
The Process
Deanna encourages people to call her or message her on Instagram if their car is broken into, and she gets those calls about once a month. When she hears about one, she will try to get over to the scene as quickly as possible, or she'll ask the caller to gather a small bag of glass for her that she can pick up later. She then makes several pieces of jewelry from the donated pile and lets the victim of the break in pick something they like, giving them first dibs on a piece made from their car!
"[A break in] is such a violation of your personal space and personal property," said Deanna. "What I find super gratifying is that I can take what was someone's property (their broken car window) and return that to them in a different form. I'm literally reclaiming that broken glass and adding value back to it. I find that really empowering."
It's not just Deanna that feels this way. She finds that other people, when their cars get broken into, feel good that they can contribute something beautiful and create something special out of their bad situation. She loves how the local community has supported her in this venture — the experience has made her fall even more in love with Cleveland and the people here.
"Everyone is very supportive," she explained. "This is a big experiment for me, and since people have responded super well, I kind of feel like I could do anything here! If you're a creative looking to start a brand, I think Cleveland is a wonderful place to do it."
Where to Find Cleveland Street Glass
This year she plans to ramp up her e-commerce on her website, where you can currently find several statement necklaces, everyday pieces and earring sets for purchase! Also look for her this year at pop-up events around town and at the Cleveland Flea, where she has her own booth for 2018. Find out more on her Facebook and Instagram pages, where she posts updates on new pieces and upcoming shows!
Contact Deanna
Deanna is always looking for local street glass to make her projects shine. If you happen to experience a car break in, send her a direct message via Facebook or Instagram to report it. You never know what she will be able to create from it!
All photos courtesy of Cleveland Street Glass
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