"Stained glass is my passion," says this Cardiff artist who left the corporate world behind to devote her life to making one-of-a-kind "collages" in glass. Her deceptively simple geometric designs meld a wide assortment of glass colors and textures into complex abstract works that tell a story. Symbols of hearts, stars and letters from ancient alphabets appeal "to the collective consciousness".

Since coming to North County in the early 1990s, St. Pierre has created hundreds of works for homes and offices, including a four-panel window for the new Chopra Center in Olivenhain.

For more about Viola St. Pierre's work , in her own words, click on "Play."