March is meet the maker month – a chance to tell you the artists story, see them in action, view their space, and learn a little about them and their quirks. What a great way to celebrate our local artists, because honestly Vancouver Island has a lot of talent right here!
If you don’t know Vicki one might describe her as funny, she uses her humour as her magic wand. Didn’t do something? She makes a joke. Broke her thumb? She makes a joke. This woman will make you laugh so when I proposed this topic to her for todays blog guess what she did – exactly! If only you could see the pictures I took of her… but I won’t because my turn is coming!
When I asked Vicki the question “Why glass” she said do you remember Sylvia that lived in Port Hardy, BC. Sure… she proceeded to tell me she went to her house for tea and she had the most beautiful stained glass piece of a salmon swimming up the river- it was the most beautiful piece of glass she had ever seen. Sylvia gave her a few pieces of glass and that was it.
The part she skipped over and I remember it very clearly because I was still living at home in my teens was my Dad built her the most beautiful QUILTING room with counter tops galore, shelving, and took walls down so she could have natural light. The workshop was incredible – and he came home and said “Vicki! this is for quilting”. Guess what she did? You’re right – she made a funny and he smiled and she continued with glass.
When Vicki starts something, she becomes an expert. She studies, she practises, she researches, if this is something she truly wants she will do and she will do it easily and beautifully. Her quilts were gorgeous, her knitting beautiful.
It was when she lived in Port Hardy, BC that she learned she had the glass bug, where she started to make the Tide Lines incorporating sea shells and beach findings in with the stained glass. She has made so many of these guys we named our business after them!
Over the 20+ years of glass Vicki has made some gorgeous lamp worked beads, and some pretty neat things using the kiln. Today she focuses on custom orders, and continues to experiment with stained glass and the kilns. Would you like to meet Vicki? Visit our studio at 2277 Upland Rd. Campbell River!
You can also check out some of Vicki’s work on our Etsy site! And save the date as we are part of the Comox Valley Arts Studio Tour at the end of May!
