08/05/2026
Oh wow!
Born and raised in Southern California, Leilani has lived on the Chesapeake Bay, in Hawaii and now in Emerald Isle, NC. She has been inspired and infused with love for coastal living and its wildlife, and has channeled some of that energy into creating two dimensional glass sculptures and functional works of art.
From the moment she opened her first kiln, she has been captivated by the transformation of glass when it is layered and melted into art; the process known as glass fusion.
After 35 years of working for the US Navy, Leilani has retired and can concentrate on the gift that enables her to bring glass to life in the form of fine art. In 2019 she began selling her work on Etsy and at local farmers’ markets until her art was juried and accepted at the Mattie King Davis Art Gallery in Beaufort and the Bank of the Arts in New Bern, where she currently displays and sells some of her unique pieces.
She collaborates with her brother, Steve Garcia from Orange, California, who specializes in welding the individual stands that display her glass, but most importantly her mixed media Shorebird Series, with glass and steel coming together to complete the composition.
She successfully owns and operates Gypsea Glass and continues to sell her work on Etsy and puts much pride and enthusiasm into custom orders and commission requests. Leilani is a member of the Arts Council of Carteret County and Craven Art Council.
We have 3 of her pieces available in the Mattie King Davis Art Gallery and you can view more of her work online and peruse her reviews on:
www.GypSeaGlassStore.etsy.com or www.facebook.com/GypSeaGlassing
