About
Some art shown on this website may not be immediately available as it has sold before I was able to update this site or it is located at an area gallery. However some items may be recreated in a similar fashion. Message me if interested in something that is not currently available or has been sold. Our most recent pieces are updated regularly on our facebook and instagram pages. Follow along for the most current work. Please do not hesitate to reach out for things you see here though!
Artist Statement
Rhonda has always been drawn to the beauty of glass—the way it captures light, color, and emotion all at once. Her journey began in 1999 as a self-taught stained glass and mosaic artist. Over the years, her work has evolved into the world of fused glass, where she finds endless ways to experiment, play, and create.
Working from her home studio in Papillion, Nebraska, she explorex glass in all its forms—powder, frit, sheet, molten vitrigraph, and traditional stained glass. She loves pulling her own vitrigraph stringers and weaving them into her work as flower stems and grasses, bringing a sense of whimsy and movement to her garden-inspired work. She also enjoys using enamels and pigments to paint directly on glass, creating watercolor-style effects that capture softness and light.
Her art is about exploration and joy. Each piece is a reflection of curiosity—of trying new techniques, learning something new, and letting the materials guide her. She also finds inspiration in collaboration, glazing the pottery her husband throws on the wheel and hand-building her own ceramic forms.
She is proud to share her work through local juried shows, community events, and several co-op galleries in the area. Every piece she creates is a small bit of beauty meant to bring warmth and light into someone’s space—her own bit of glass and pottery shared with the world.
Bio
Rhonda and Mike Bruggeman are the wife-and-husband artist team behind Rhonda’s Bits of Glass and Pottery in Papillion, Nebraska. Working together from their home studio, the pair bring a unique blend of glass and clay artistry to life.
Rhonda is a full-time artist specializing in glasswork. Her creations range from intricate mosaics and garden stones to vibrant fused glass pieces made using powdered glass, frits, sheet glass, and molten “vitrigraph.” A self-taught stained glass and mosaic artist since 1999, Rhonda transitioned to fused glass full-time in 2015. Constantly exploring new methods and materials, she continues to expand her repertoire and accepts commissions for custom glass art.
In early 2020, Mike began his own artistic journey in pottery, studying form and technique under a longtime local potter. While his full-time career limits his studio time, Mike’s skill in wheel-thrown forms quickly flourished. Rhonda complements his work by glazing each piece, adding her keen eye for color and texture to accentuate his shapes and craftsmanship.
Together, Rhonda and Mike’s collaborative work is featured in several co-op galleries throughout the area, and they participate in a variety of local art shows each year. Their small-batch pottery and one-of-a-kind glass creations continue to evolve as they refine their shared style and color palette — a true partnership in art and life.