Clusters

Started working as a volunteer at Glass Happens Studio in Edmonton since March 2001. It was there that i “grew up“ with the glass, practicing skills and learning about hot glass as a material. Having a creative background in photography already, i soon realized that as my attraction to glass grew, it demanded more of my attention and photo ended taking the back seat. It became clear at the time that i had room for only one main creative interest in my life. This transition in creative thoughts although sad was a necessary one and paved the way to a new creative career and a new medium of choice. As a journeyman carpenter with a strong work ethic, I really appreciated how physical the process was in creating glass objects. I draw a lot of parallels between carpentry and glass, one of these parallels is the struggle and challenge it can take me before i can really appreciate the finished result. Nothing worth having or doing seems to come easy for me. During my time with glass i have managed to broaden myself by, helping teach beginner glass classes at Red Deer College and volunteering at Pilchuck glass school as a poleturner. I have had the opportunity to work with other artists and industrial designers in bringing their ideas to life and enjoy the challenge which comes with these new ideas and approaches. I have designed and fabricated custom lighting fixtures for clients, produced recognition and achievement awards for various local organizations, as well as been a successful candidate for a City of Edmonton permanent art installation. I continue to live and work in Edmonton, Alberta with my family and am always in hot pursuit of the next best curry house and the perfect punty.

Clusters is a hanging garden of glass vines, flowers, and fruit, each component is handmade and unique. Artist Keith Walker chose to work with bright colours and exaggerated dimensions knowing that the glass sculptures would be installed near windows, high above. About 500 separate pieces of glass were created to form the eight clusters, which are suspended from the ceiling of a gathering space in the Central Lions Senior Recreation Centre. This process took nearly a year to complete with a production style akin to that of the traditional glass artisans in Italy and Poland. Historically, glass making was a highly prized skill and techniques were often kept secret with methods passed down from master to apprentice. There is an elusive quality to glass that has enchanted people for generations. The materiality of glass is extremely technical, something that Walker feels one never fully masters. This piece is a demonstration of the beauty and versatility of the medium, used in an imaginative way. Walker intends this piece to generate discussion on the art of glass making. Edmonton-based glass blower Keith Walker likens his craft to a sport requiring drills and exercises before the final execution of the piece. It requires teamwork, a gambler’s sense of risk-taking, and some improvisation as the glass evolves during its creation. Many steps are required before the project is completed, and a team of players (assistants, welders, installers) works together to coordinate such a large-scale project. In terms of the material, working with glass is a physically demanding process, yet must be handled with extreme delicacy.