Contemporary Canadian Glass

By Megan Smith

I found glass the day I happened to drive past Seattle Glassblowing Studio. I mentioned on a whim to my brother that it would be a fun thing to try. While I had forgotten to follow up on this mental note, he hadn’t. I received a gift certificate to experience glass firsthand with a weekend workshop having no idea this would lead me to Canada someday.

I continued taking courses over and over, and eventually applied to Pilchuck Glass School. While I was at Pilchuck, I met amazing artists from all over the world. At the time, it seemed as if I was the only one with a desk job and little background in art, let alone concept. I wanted to be involved in glass but didn’t know where to go next. I talked to a few people about the schools they attended but one really stuck out. Sally McCubbin, my TA at Pilchuck, had convincing reasons why I should attend the glass program at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario. We talked about price, course content, and opportunities the school had to offer. I considered for a year the information she provided, and finally decided I was ready to apply for what would turn into quite the life adventure.

Megan working in the hotshop with David Thompson, photo by Jesse Bromm

I applied to Sheridan while at work one day when I had the realization that I didn’t want a career in my current field. At the time I was managing a payday loan location, and I knew it wasn’t something I wanted to do forever. I didn’t tell anyone I had applied in case I couldn’t make it happen right away. When I found out I was accepted, I had a whirlwind of decisions to make, lose ends to tie up, and things to prepare. All of my family, friends, and co-workers were very supportive of my decision to leave. I had never been to Ontario, nor would I get the chance to visit there prior to moving there. I found an apartment on the Internet, faxed contracts back and forth, applied for a student visa, packed four suitcases, and flew to a new country.

Moving 3,000 miles alone was overwhelming.  I didn’t know anyone when I arrived, but was very lucky to meet exciting/outgoing people right away. I did end up living with a crazy person … but I like to add that to my life-experience checklist. “It builds character,” I tell people. To this day, my friends still make American jokes on a daily basis, but it’s all in fun. I get to show them that Americans aren’t all that bad.

Formation, blown glass, photo by Thomas Rojcik

A common question I get from the glass community is, “Why would you come all the way to Oakville when Seattle is full of glass opportunities?”  My answer is that while Seattle may be a glass Mecca, I was ready to have glass be my main focus, and I wanted to get a well-rounded education in the process. Seattle may have plenty of opportunities, but unfortunately there isn’t a full time school for it yet.

I knew the program at Sheridan was going to be more than just glass blowing.  I knew there were going to be support classes, and I had even printed out the course outline for all three years. Somehow, though, I was still taken by surprise. Even in the first year at Sheridan we were encouraged to have solid ideas, concepts, and a variety of learned new processes rather than to be exceptionally skilled glassblowers. It was no easy feat to jump into the world of conceptual thinking so soon, but it is an important foundation of the program.

Sheridan and RIT students working together at Sheridan participating in the Glass Olympics, photo by Owen Colborne

Sheridan has provided me with many opportunities so far that I didn’t expect. I have been able to submit work to the OCC gallery and the school gallery. I have traveled twice:  to the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York and the SOFA Conference in Chicago. I’ve sold work at our open house, and assisted in demos for upcoming students. I also recently found out I was accepted to be the summer glass resident at the Harbourfront Center in Toronto. We are surrounded by remarkable artists and mentors, but most of all we are fortunate to have amazing faculty guide us through the years.

I don’t know where the future will lead me, but I have never once regretted my decision to travel to Canada. I have found a medium of expression that I love, and I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything. I urge anyone contemplating glass as a career to start his or her exploration at Sheridan College.