Introducing Brad Copping Glass

Brad working in his Hot Shop Studio in Apsley, Ontario

I met Brad way back in 1992 when I was accepted as a craft resident in the Metal Department at the Harbourfront Craft Studios. I applied to Harbourfront's Craft Resident Program while I was finishing up my Goldsmithing Diploma at George Brown College. Brad was already a resident in the Glass Blowing department, as he had graduated from Sheridan College's Glass Blowing Program in 1990.

The glass blowing section at Harbourfront was always a very hot, busy place. There was lots of banter between the glass artists, as the practice of blowing lends itself to working in pairs or groups in order to blow and work the glass from a molten, red hot state into various shaped vessels, drink ware and sculptures.

Little Boats Drinking Vessels, $25.00 each
Available in an assortment of cool colours
Each glass is approximately 2.5" OD x 3.5" H

Little Boats Drinking Vessels, $25.00 each
Available in assorted warm colours as well
Eleven colours to choose from

 Working from his home on the edge of the Canadian Shield, Brad Copping has found muse and foil in this transitional landscape. Here, he maintains a successful practice as both a sculptor and a functional glass blower – often traversing the line between, sometimes on foot, sometimes by canoe.

Always making work that reaffirms our ties to the natural world, his studio practice evolves around attempts to understand our place in a world, where the only constant is change. Searching for a dynamic balance, an equilibrium, within the flow of our lives, the work examines how we live with each other and within the physical places in which we find ourselves.

Xylem Tea Lanterns in action, $80.00 each
Available in an assortment of colours

Xylem Tea Lanterns, $80.00 each
Each Tea Lantern is approximately 4.25" OD x 5" H

Most of his sculpture references water. “Water moves us; it connects us one to another, both physically and metaphorically. It both nourishes and threatens us. Water flows within us and through all life, with water we are in constant communion. It is in this relationship that my search for balance and connectedness within one’s self, between people, and between people and place arises.”

Blown and Carved Candle Sticks, $240.00 each
No two are exactly alike
Each one is hand carved by Brad after the vessel is blown

His functional blown glasswork also explores form, surface and light. Often combining the rough line of carving with the fluid form of the blown glass, in the search for an aesthetic balance. This work can be found in the permanent collections of the Royal Ontario Museum, the Design Exchange, the Racine Art Museum, and the Claridge (Bronfman) Collection. His water glass design, ‘Forest Glass’ was selected for use at the G8 Summit in Huntsville, Ontario in 2010. In 2011 he was commissioned by Diageo to create a Crown Royal XR bottle commemorating the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge’s Royal Tour of Canada. His functional blown work was honoured at the 2012 Toronto Outdoor Art Fair with the Best of Glass Award; the ninth time his blown glasswork has garnered recognition from the TOAF.

Website: Apsleystudiotour.com
Instagram: @bradcopping.studio

So, now my Annual Studio Holiday Show is starting to come together. Artists have been arriving all week to set up their creations and my studio showroom is starting to look really festive. I should also mention, I am representing my invited Artisan's work on their behalf, they will not be present. If you choose to purchase, the funds will be given directly to the artists. Most can be paid by either cash, cheque or e-transfer. A few have also given me access to their point-of-sale machines, so I am also able to process credit cards on their behalf. You are best to bring all forms of payment with you. If you end up purchasing from four different artists, that will equate to four separate payments, one to each artist directly.

And booking your appointment couldn't be simpler with my online Appointment Booking Calendar now all sorted out. YEAH! Click here to book your appointment today!

Lisa's Annual Artisan Studio Show
November 25 - December 23, 2021
Weekdays:  Noon - 7:00 pm
Weekends:  Noon - 5:00 pm