Virginia's desire to pursue dreams of glass began about 1984 when she began making stained glass panels and lamps. Her original designs and works of art in stained glass won many awards. Her interest evolved into stage sandblasting techniques to decorate glass. A desire to enhance her skills by learning to cut and engrave crystal led her to a class at the local college. While there she was captivated by the glassblowing studio which led her to enroll in a 3 year glass program.
She works as a team with her husband Tony to create glass inspired by techniques invented over 2000 years ago in Mesopotamia. Virginia and Tony are members of Glen Williams Glass where they make and sell their glass.
A background in textiles has subliminally molded her work, which is noted for its sense of style and fluidity. Specializing in techniques that were mastered by the Venetians approx. 500 years ago and held as closely guarded secrets for centuries, she has developed her art to incorporate various types of simple and complex glass canes as the decorative medium on her forms. What follows are linear and threadlike patterns that dance and sway on complex, shimmering works, captivating the imagination and stimulating wonder in the viewer.
Her infatuation with the Venetian glass making techniques in her creation of filigrana and murrini glass rods have led her to combine furnace working techniques with lamp working, resulting in the creation of her uniquely styled complex murrini and very detailed blown and cut , art glass beads.
She has received many awards, scholarships and grants for her work. Virginia’s glass has been exhibited widely in both juried and invitation only exhibitions across Canada and the United States. Her work is represented in private and public collections throughout North America and abroad. Most notably, selections of her work are housed at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Toronto, Canada and the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.
She works as a team with her husband Tony to create glass inspired by techniques invented over 2000 years ago in Mesopotamia. Virginia and Tony are members of Glen Williams Glass where they make and sell their glass.
A background in textiles has subliminally molded her work, which is noted for its sense of style and fluidity. Specializing in techniques that were mastered by the Venetians approx. 500 years ago and held as closely guarded secrets for centuries, she has developed her art to incorporate various types of simple and complex glass canes as the decorative medium on her forms. What follows are linear and threadlike patterns that dance and sway on complex, shimmering works, captivating the imagination and stimulating wonder in the viewer.
Her infatuation with the Venetian glass making techniques in her creation of filigrana and murrini glass rods have led her to combine furnace working techniques with lamp working, resulting in the creation of her uniquely styled complex murrini and very detailed blown and cut , art glass beads.
She has received many awards, scholarships and grants for her work. Virginia’s glass has been exhibited widely in both juried and invitation only exhibitions across Canada and the United States. Her work is represented in private and public collections throughout North America and abroad. Most notably, selections of her work are housed at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Toronto, Canada and the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.