Art glass, whether formed into a piece of free-form sculpture or part of a wall design, puts a bit of pizzazz into a room. Marjan van Esch and Dana Videla have an intimate understanding of this fact. Both are glass artists, operating out of an Edmonton studio and creating colorful pieces of art to complement an assortment of living and work spaces.
But these two artists are known for thinking out of the box. Instead of making a wall hanging, why not make the artwork itself the wall? Go a step further and make that wall a cascading waterfall under and/or over glass. Other unusual pieces include room dividers, kitchen backsplashes and room dividers.
Both van Esch and Videla consider themselves sculptors and painters, rather than home decorators. But when dealing with people’s wants and whims, it takes more business sense and patience than many artists want to handle. The pair presents their own concept, and then tweaks the idea to meet the client’s expectations.
Simple window glass is the basis for their designs. Using a ceramic fiber blanket and heat from a kiln, the glass is softened and shaped around the blanket mold. Once cool, layers of paint are applied to the back and then the glass goes back in the kiln. The blending of glass and paint offer a three-dimensional look. This method works for both their large and small glass pieces. Samples can be seen at various events, such as the Whyte Avenue Art Walk.