Brooke Vega is a stained glass artist and recently launched her brand Home Again Glassworks. Her colorful work includes the vibrant spectrum of the natural world, and also her penchant for music from the Seventies.

1. Why did you move to Elgin?

Being from Taylor, TX, I never thought I’d be living near “home”. I grew up coming to Elgin all the time when I was a girl with my grandma ‘Cha-Cha’, who was a hairdresser at “Jerry’s Salon” which is where the Tattered Shutter is now. Over my summer breaks I would come with my grandma to work while she’d watch me. There wasn’t a lot going on in Elgin back then; I’d run around dollar general, paint my nails or find something to do in the salon. Well, here I am living in Elgin, my partner and I moved here a little over a year ago. We had friends living in town, and I also wanted to be closer to my family. Thinking back to when I was in college, if someone where to ask me where I’d picture myself living in my mid-twenties, Elgin probably wouldn’t have been on my list. Life is funny. I love being here and living the small town life.

2. What compels you to spend time creating?

I work the typical 8-5 job, sitting at a desk all day makes me really antsy so I can’t wait to get home to resume my projects. But in general, creating really eases my mind and gives me something to look forward to. I have to keep my hands busy which is why I have a ton of projects I’m working on; if I think of something I’d like to do, I’ll usually start on it or at least put it on pen and paper so I don’t forget

3. Tell me three things you’ve learned in the past five years.

If it won’t matter in a week, a year, etc. is it worth being mad or upset over it?

GO FOR IT! Nobody is stopping you from doing what you want.

Being a Pisces I’ve always been pretty intuitive, I’ve learned to stick with my gut feelings and be more true to myself.

4. What are you currently making, reading, watching, or listening to?

I have several stained glass projects I’m working on right now, to name a few: restoring an antique window, a big ol butterfly, an Allman Brothers suncatcher, a swag-light lantern and a mushroom series. I’ve been watching Seinfeld, The Brady Bunch and Anne with an E (which I am completely obsessed with and highly recommend). I listen to music from the 60s and 70s, I love finding out about bands that weren’t very well known. Lately I have been listening to a lot of Carole King, George Harrison and Jefferson Airplane.