Cat Designer

Picture cartoon images created in glass. They’re fun, they’re colourful, they’ll make you smile. Cats, dogs, mice, and fish, all created by Catherine Labonte in her Montreal area studio.

After receiving a Fine Arts diploma in 2001 and a Glass Art diploma in 2002, Catherine became actively involved in creating and exhibiting her glass characters. As cartoons have always been part of her life, she carried this love of cartoon characters into her art. She uses glass because of its simple lines, its brightness, translucence and colourful nature, not to mention its technical challenges.

You have to see Catherine’s pieces to appreciate them – they are just such fun…a small cat sculpture with big bulging eyes and an endearing smile, colourful worried looking fish, glass brooches, or a grinning cat head to hang in a special place.

Catherine hopes “to create objects that evoke laughter and wonder in order to lighten the heart.” And that they certainly do.

Kissinglass

Adrianne Kinsella of Kissinglass Creations has been working with recycled glass and polymer clay as her two mediums of choice for over fifteen years. Working from her studio in Sioux Lookout in Northern Ontario, this Enviro Artist works mainly with items she’s salvaged – recycled glass, used light bulbs and tiles destined for the landfill.

Her funky, functional, one-of-a-kind glassworks have evolved over the years – recycling glass, painting, then adding clay designs, sculpting petals, leaves, trees, ladybugs, fairies – ever so delicately – then baking, painting, lacquering – creating some of the most interesting high-wow-factor glass vases and candleholders to be found anywhere.

Whimsical and beautiful, Adrianne’s work is in homes throughout Canada and Europe.

Kitras Art Glass

Inspired by 17th century art nouveau techniques, Stephen Kitras has been striving to create innovative and beautiful decorative glass objects since graduating from Sheridan College in Ontario in 1988. For five years he worked alone handling all the production and administrative tasks. He and his wife Elke then shipped the product out from their dining room table.

Now a company of 40 employees, the vision of Kitras Art Glass is to be recognized as an excellent Canadian glass blowing studio that produces innovative and beautiful decorative glass objects. They strive to create designs that enhance the modern home, garden, and lifestyle.

Their garden collection is filled with decorative and functional items that are sure to enhance your outdoor living space. Kitras garden products are guaranteed to never fade and are able to stay outdoors year round, even in the harshest conditions!

Beautiful things enhance the enjoyment of everyday life. When surrounded by beauty the spirit is uplifted.

Robert Held Art Glass

California born Robert Held aspired to be an artist from an early age, influenced by his sculptor father. Pursuing a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts at the University of Southern California, Robert was awarded the graduate assistantship. At this time, he won the prestigious “Glen Lukins Award” for new work in ceramics.

Upon graduating, Robert was offered a position as Head of Ceramics at a college being built in Ontario. He accepted the position becoming the youngest department head at the Sheridan College – School of Design.

In 1968, after a visit to the Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina, Robert discovered a new love: the art of glassblowing. He returned to Sheridan College inspired, and succeeded in launching Canada’s first college level hot glass program in 1969. In 1978, Robert started his own studio. Now located in the heart of Kitsilano, B.C., Robert Held Art Glass is Canada’s largest hot glass studio and gallery.

Using techniques that date back to 2000 B.C., his collections range from vases and bowls to hearts and paperweights. His designs are inspired by the work of famous artists such as Monet, Klimt and Tiffany. Robert’s glasswork has also been chosen for many prestigious awards and collections. His goblets were selected to grace the table of the Governor General. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s collection now houses Robert’s commissioned piece “The Northern Lights” – a stunning glass bowl created with gold & dichroic glass.

Steve Boyd

Local artist Steve Boyd is well known for his celtic-inspired stained glass windows. He began his career apprenticing in studios in Ottawa and Scotland. Now, for over 20 years, Steve has been working in stained glass from his studio on the Canadian Shield near Westport…when he’s not in Scotland doing restoration work at Edinburgh Castle and St. Giles Cathedral. Steve has also done restoration work locally for churches in Westport, Newboro, Elgin, Burridge and Althorpe.

Steve’s passion for restoring the beauty and integrity of heritage stained glass windows shows in his custom panels, cupboard doors and art pieces. The Lone Piper, Bevelled Celtic Knot, Celtic Cross, and Quatrefoil Leaves are a few of Steve’s stained glass art pieces that have found loving homes around the globe.

Leaded glass by Steve Boyd will grace the interior of your home or office with a piece of art that will last centuries.

Window Candy

Designed and created from ‘scratch’ in their studio in Naramata, BC, Kim and Anni’s handmade suncatchers are finely crafted using the elements of fused glass, stained glass, free-hand wirework and beads. Radiant with delicious colour and emanating joy and beauty, they are divine gifts to give to others or oneself.

Whether cutting the glass or beading and assembling, these two ‘artistes’ at Window Candy are creating wonderful glass hanging ‘thingy’s. And what is a ‘thingy’, you ask. Well, it can be a fused glass amber heart with beaded wire stem and handle about 6″ long or whimsical and playful fused glass animals or a fused glass dragonfly accented with stained glass triangular ‘chips’ and detailed with beaded wirework swirls. Fish, fowl, suns, starfish, fruit and flowers, birds and insects all designed to catch the sun and cheer up a room.

All of Kim and Anni’s work is designed to hang, preferably near a window, where even on the dullest day you can look at them and enjoy these irresistibly happy swirling thingys.