The Robertson Building

Material Matters Contemporary Canadian Glass Art Gallery (Suite 101) is a jewel box of intriguing creations resting at the southwest corner of the Robertson Building. The gallery represents twenty-seven Canadian glass artists who rotate exhibitions each month, so there is always something new and exciting to experience. From amber diffused optical crystal (Charles Hargraves), to blown glass, feathers + rocks (Tanya Lyons), the gallery shows the best and most cutting edge works created by Canadian artists who are recognized internationally for their unique and daring perspective on the art.

This work would not have the same exposure it does today without the dedication of owner and curator Lisa Wouhela, who has been in the business for over twenty years. The gallery began its life at Queen and Parliament in the front space of Lisa's fabric arts studio. Lisa teamed up with Andrew Kuntz, a forerunner in the Canadian Glass Movement and they ran the space there for a few years before Lisa was lured to 80 Spadina Avenue to be part of a group of galleries who were all taking up residence in the old warehouse building. Lisa says this was a good move for the gallery because "the artists were excited about the beautiful space and high ceilings; for them it was a big step; it was taking their art seriously and showcasing their work with other artistic mediums. It was really the beginning of the Canadian Glass Movement."

The Canadian Glass Movement grew out of the American Studio Glass Movement started by Harvey Littleton in the late 50s. Littleton had traveled to Venice, Italy and seen the incredible glass factories that employed entire families of glass artists who passed their technique through generations. They worked in smaller studio-like spaces that were completely separated from the other artists, and after seeing this, Littleton decided that it would be entirely feasible to support this kind of work in a studio in America. "Littleton came back to the States and he made himself a glory hole [opening of the furnace used to keep glass hot and workable] and a pot furnace, where he picked up the glass and he made blobs of glass. And that was the beginning of the studio glass movement - individual people working in their studios - it had never been done before. It was the first time you had one individual completing their work from vision to production." This process of production has now become the standard for Canadian glass artists.

After five years, the economic climate forced Lisa to close the gallery at 80 Spadina. Nonetheless, she started writing, curating, and, along with Alfred Engeren, she organized a monumental project called The Glass Architecture Exhibition. The exhibition paired ten architects with ten glass artists and they worked together for two years to come up with a project involving space and glass in ways that perhaps hadn't been approached before - it was very successful. The show was first mounted in the Clay and Glass Gallery in Waterloo and then at the Design Exchange in Toronto. The gallery had one more renaissance at Queen and Tecumseth before joining the community at the Robertson Building in February 2003. Lisa says the new space is "absolutely fabulous."

Executive Director Dan Whetung joined Lisa when she moved to the Robertson Building and has been a wonderful addition to the gallery. Dan has been a quick study in the gallery business and provides a great connection for the artists - "it's been a good fit for the gallery." This year Dan and Lisa launched the first National Graduate Show, which showcases the work of graduates from schools that now offer glass art classes - a good indication of the growing popularity of the medium. There are also plans for an International Graduate Show, slated for two years from now. For many years Dan has also worked closely with an environmental organization called the Thunderbirds Necklaces Foundation and a space is provided in the gallery and works donated by gallery artists are on display with the proceeds from sales going directly to the foundation and it's efforts. As Lisa explains: "it's an exciting medium for me because I was there at the beginning. Just watching where it's grown has been exciting, it always keeps me pumped and it doesn't get boring."

www.materialmatters.ca