Three Montreal studios offer courses and workshops that explore the many facets of glass art
by Lauralou Cicierski
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| Photo by John Zimmerman from Espace VERRE |
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| Photo by Lauralou Cicierski |
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| Photo by Lauralou Cicierski |
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| Photo by John Zimmerman from Espace VERRE |
With torches, soldering irons and kilns, glass class has Montrealers warming up their creativity and cheating the cold weather. This is the busiest time of the year for studios that illuminate people on the finer points of glass arts.
Stained glass, the genesis of church windows and lampshades, involves cutting and shaping pieces of glass that are held together in a framework of lead. The lead technique, believed to have been used as far back as the 10th or 11th century, is still used for large, heavy pieces like windows or door panels. Glass pieces are fitted into a lead matrix and then soldered in place. The Tiffany-stained glass technique, named after the artist and businessman who developed it in the late 19th century and is associated most readily with the lampshade, entails edging glass with a thin copper foil that is soldered with lead. Fusing is another way to join glass pieces using kilns that can reach 1500oF.
Studio du Verre on Bonsecours specializes in architectural stained glass and stained glass restorations. You'll see their work at Saint-James United Church on Ste-Catherine and Montreal's Notre Dame Basilica. Housed in a three storey, circa 1890 building, its many rooms filled with restoration projects and new creations in various stages of completion quickly transform into evening and weekend classrooms. They offer classes and workshops on stained glass techniques, glass painting, mosaics, bead-making and fusing.
Owner/artist Chasin has invested many years in understanding the emotional, spiritual and cultural effect of glass on humans.
On rue St. Denis, despite the flurry of glass snowflakes near its entrance, Les Verriers St-Denis offers a warm atmosphere for creativity with glass. The expertise in this shop lies in owner/artist Boris Chasin and his passion for the history of his craft. He has invested many years in understanding the emotional, spiritual and cultural effect of glass on humans. Among his shop's creations are windows for St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church on Decarie Street and an original leaded panel for the Tristan & America store on Broadway in New York City. Courses on fusing, the Tiffany technique and bead-making provide students with autonomy to personally explore the many facets of glass art.
For a different perspective on glass art, visit Espace VERRE on rue Mill. In a glowing contradiction, this studio with its open flame kilns is located in a refurbished fire hall. A nonprofit organization that teaches and promotes glass arts, it is a bright spot in an otherwise industrial area of Old Montreal. Open to the public on weekdays, visitors can feel the heat as artisans manipulate molten glass into functional and artistic pieces. Head upstairs for a tour of the gallery with select pieces from Quebec artists for sale. If your curiosity is sparked, pursue beginner and advanced classes on the weekends in techniques that include glassblowing, flameworking with torches and sand blasting.
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