Spring Beauties!

March 13 2016

Spring beauties (detail)

This is a detail of a piece that was selected by the jurors at the Muskoka Arts and Crafts Spring Members Show,  for an "Award of Excellence for Glass".   

Summer Beauties

It is always an honour to be recognized by one’s peers, who understand that it takes planning and experimentation, and a lot of careful, fine work to achieve this kind of detail in glass.

“Spring Beauties” is available for sale, along with her sisters, “Summer Beauties” and “Autumn Beauties”.  In fact, there is a fourth piece in this series too, featuring trilliums.  I should call it “Spring Beauties Too”!

Spring Beauties Too (detail)

Inspired Glass

St. Cecilia by Sarah Hall, St. Simon the Apostle Anglican Church

Spring always opens my senses and fuels my creative drive.  I’ve been working on some new work that I’ll share when it is completed, but in the meantime, I wanted to tell you about my recent "ROMBus" expedition, a truly inspiring and joyful event.

 The Royal Ontario Museum hosted another glass tour in Toronto last week, guided by glass artist Sarah Hall.  We visited 4 churches with stained glass windows employing different techniques, executed by several different Canadian artists and glass studios.  It was wonderful to view these inspiring works, accompanied by Sarah’s knowledgeable insights, and amusing insider stories.

While I have never done ecclesiastic commissions, my first exposure to glass art was the stained glass in my childhood church.  After I got involved in stained glass in 1980, my eyes were opened to the infinite possibilities the medium held.  Here are some fine examples of what I enjoyed on the tour.

Eric Wesselow, Humber Valley United Church

 Narthex windows by Gerald E. Tooke, St. Simon the Apostle

The tour concluded at the Sandra Ainsley Glass Art Gallery, where we experienced stunning contemporary sculptural glass work.  Sandra, as well as the generous hosts at the other locations were so welcoming and generous with their time.  It was a truly memorable day.  Thank you, thank you, Sarah!

Sarah Hall and Sandra Ainsley

Sculptural glass at Sandra Ainsley Gallery

bowl made from thousands of glass threads, fused together and slumped