Local artisan with a touch of glass
You never know what you can learn at night school.
Two years ago, Susan Otto-Bain decided to attend New Westminster’s continuing education glasswork course.
She had always had an interest in art and had various projects on the go, and she was ready for a new challenge.
“I always wanted to try it,” she says.
She had to face her fear of fire to learn the craft, she says, adding she doesn’t even like using gas stoves of barbecues.
“The biggest challenge was overcoming my fear of the flame,” she says. “Turning on the torch and facing it.”
But Otto-Bain says she has never burned herself while working with the glass.
Otto-Bain crafts glass lampwork beads, using a technique where she melts glass rods around a rounded metal stick.
Another challenge is making sure the glass doesn’t drop, which requires turning the metal rod constantly while working with it, she adds.
She works in her studio from about five to 20 hours a week, depending on her schedule.
She sells beads, fish and turtle designs, fused glass pendants and earrings.
“I make all kinds of wild, colourful beads,” Otto-Bain says. “”They’re very funky and colourful.”
Otto-Bain will be bringing her work to the Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival in August.
It is her second time at the festival – she was one of the first eight artisans to take part in last year’s market.
“They picked artists that really went with the festival,” she says of the inaugural market.
“It was fabulous,” she says. “It is such a great environment.”
Otto-Bain has also sold her work at the Herbert Spencer Elementary School and St. Thomas more Collegiate craft fairs.
Other local artisans featured at the festival include Shannon Powell of Air-a-Tatt, who will be selling airbrush tattoos, and the New West company, Sunseeker Toe Thongs.
Burnaby’s Tom Wray, who builds custom-made guitars, and Rita Khimani, who will be selling exotic henna tattoos on site, are also among those selling their goods at the festival.
Wray was at last year’s festival as well.
There should be about 11 artisans this year, according to Julie-Anne Slade, the special events officer for the city who is in charge of organizing the market.
Displays range from airbrushed and henna tattoos to neon artwork, from guitars to toe jewelry.
This year’s Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival includes performances by Taj Mahal, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Serena Ryder, Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real, Colin Linden, little miss Higgins and Yukon Blonde, and will be held on Saturday, August 14 at 12:30 p.m.
The winner of Shore FM’s Sounds of Summer Contest, Zaac Pick, will also play.
The 11th annual Blues and Roots Festival will be held at the newly renovated Deer Lake Park.
jfuller-evans@royalcityrecord.com
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Local artisan with a touch of glass