The Robson Ranch Fused Glass Club is pleased to introduce our member of the month, Laurel Prysiazny. Like many Robson residents, Laurel and her husband, Dwayne, started their journey in Canada before eventually relocating to Robson Ranch.
She and Dwayne married on Halloween 1981 so they would never forget their wedding anniversary! On their wedding day, people wondered if they were in costume as they were dressed as bride and groom! What a fun couple! While Dwayne excelled in all things technical, Laurel found her calling in library management. She led a very interesting career in this field where she worked in academic, public, and special libraries. One of the most unusual libraries was one that was only accessible by a 4-hour barge ride down a fjord, or by helicopter! The thirst for knowledge took on a whole new meaning in reaching this remote location.
In 1999, Laurel and her husband, Dwayne decided to ride out Y2K by immigrating to the United States. Fortunately, they survived the turnover of the clock to 2000! Her career adventures then took her to San Luis Obispo, Calif.; Long Beach, Calif.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Fresno, Calif.; and finally back to Phoenix. During their time in California, Dwayne managed all the operating systems at the hospital for the stars, Cedars Sinai Hospital in Beverly Hills. In 2016, both Laurel and her husband became proud U.S. citizens. In 2018, Laurel and Dwayne retired in Phoenix. In 2022, the Prysiazny’s moved to Robson Ranch with their two beautiful Shetland Sheepdogs! While they both now enjoy playing golf together, Laurel has also tried her hand at pickleball, ceramics, fused glass, and the variety of other exercise options offered at Robson Ranch.
Fused glass became one of Laurel’s favorite creative outlets. She would categorize (remember she is a librarian by heart) her style as eclectic and quirky. Bowls and trays are not her aesthetic; rather she gravitated to whimsical owl garden stakes, Christmas swizzle sticks, Carlotta the Cactus Queen, stacked glass, and abstract designs. However, it is always about growing with your creativity. Lately she has been trying her hand at projects that require more precision. Her motto is “throw it on the wall and see what sticks.” That is clearly a challenge when moving onto more geometric objects. This year, Laurel suggested and helped to launch the Fused Glass Club’s new Mentoring Program. The program is unique, as it is not a one–size-fits–all approach. Mentoring sessions provide members with exactly what each member wants; from putting a specific project together, equipment training, and/or design advice. It is an awesome program, and we are grateful to Laurel for managing it!
If you would like to join the fused glass fun, the club offers a beginners class regularly. Please email Doris Betuel at dorisbetuel@gmail.com for further information.
And finally for those who made it to the last part of the article, Laurel’s last name is phonetically pronounced “PRIZ-nee.”