Wendy Smith
Glass Artisans Studio & Gallery has been on the Cabot Trail for over 15 years and features over 40 glass artists from Canada. Most of the work in the Gallery is either made onsite in our Glass Blowing Studio or Fusing Studio. When I decided to build a business and home for my family, I focused on creating a functional space that took advantage of the beautiful tree top views surrounding the property. The house has served my family well for 15 years but my kids are grown, and now it is the perfect space to share with visitors of Cape Breton Island.
HOW IT ALL STARTED…
My life in glass started with a pair of stained glass side lights. I couldn't find what I wanted anywhere so I decided I would make them. I bought a book and some supplies and set to it. Pretty soon I was taking requests from friends and family for custom projects. When I moved to Cape Breton in 95' I brought everything with me. When there were no jobs that related to my previous employment in Insurance I decided to make one for my glass. Most of the pieces made in shop were our own design and a large portion of the work were commissions. When Glass Artisans opened in 2004 we had several popular designs we were making regularly and we used the long winters as time to work on the growing number of commissions. In 2014 we added a fusing studio to the property and I began taking lessons from friends and have since transitioned out of stained glass completely. I have come up with two product lines that utilize the scrap glass that leave the blowing studio and also create alcohol ink paintings on the glass.