Terry Atchison is spellbound by the shape shifting nature of glass. The science of glass arouses her curiosity, imagination and creativity, while the beauty captures her soul. The more she learns about its unique nature, the more she is able to manipulate the properties of glass creating bubbles, patterns and textures to form intriguing designs and functional one-of-a-kind art.
Anne-Marie’s kiln fires most days as the Station Gallery gets closer and closer to opening day each year!
Anne-Marie loves creating her fused glass. Here are a few pieces she’s been working on in honour of National Indigenous History Month.
The beauty of light playing on water, ice or glass has been a lifelong fascination of Terry Atchison’s. As an emerging glass artist, her works are inspired by a rich life immersed in nature. Each creation offers the viewer a multi-sensory experience influenced through the beauty of light, colour, shape, texture and reflection. See more of Terry’s work at the gallery any day (except Tuesday) from 10 – 5pm.
Well that was scary!
The other night Anne-Marie Van Brunt was working late in her basement studio determined to finish a piece that had been full fused and was now ready to slump into a shape using a mold.
She placed this special piece on the mold to shape it into a decorative plate, at the bottom of her kiln, and prepared to enter the fusing schedule on the Bartlett electronic programmer.
Anne-Marie got distracted, as is often the case; she checked something on another firing page, and then entered the fusing schedule.
Just before turning in for the night Anne-Marie went down to check on how things were advancing by reviewing the stage that was currently displayed.
On the way down the stairs it occurred to her that she might have entered a full fuse schedule instead of the slumping schedule required! Upon review she realized that that is exactly what she had done!
Panic set in and she tried to figure out what she could do, with NO help available at this time of night.
Thankfully Anne-Marie realized that the temperature hadn’t reached the 1445 degree temperature that would have possibly ruined the piece, as well as the mold holding it.
She decided to cancel the whole fusing schedule and entered the correct program. The kiln seemed to know at which stage it should resume because of the current temperature.
Anne-Marie crossed her fingers, said a few prayers and called it a day.
In the morning she cautiously opened the lid, holding her breath the whole time….and it was perfect!
It’s always lovely to hear back from people who have bought your work. Anne Marie got an email recently:
“I love the glass vase I bought from you at the show on the weekend and have filled it with lily of the valley and a few small pansies. It looks so great on my kitchen window. Thank you for making it! I will enjoy it all through the summer with treasures from my garden.”
Glass Jar
She was talking about the Smucker’s Jam Jar vases that I frequently recycle and turn into vessels for fresh or dried flowers. I have sold quite a few of these little gems over the years and it was special to know that this small item made her day!
She attached this picture taken from her kitchen window. Isn’t that sweet?
