B次元官网网址淚 should have made more turtles,B次元官网网址� says Kyle Cosford with a laugh.

The Anglemont-based glass artisanB次元官网网址檚 table, displaying his colourful turtle creations, jewelry, bottle stoppers and other pieces, was a popular stop at the White Lake Turtle Festival held at the White Lake Community Hall on Saturday, April 15. Cosford said the public response he received was great, and the turtles were certainly in demand.

The artist behind Cosford Glass and Fire and Ash Memorials, Cosford said people will be able to see more of his work at upcoming community markets, including the Spring-A-Fair Market being held 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 6 at the 5th Avenue 50 Plus Activity Centre in Salmon Arm. As of May 2, his art will also be at the Shuswap Artisan Market in Sorrento.

Cosford explained the type of work he does is called lampwork B次元官网网址� glasswork in which a torch is used to melt the glass, which gets formed using blowing and shaping tools and hand movements. He uses borosilicate glass, also called B次元官网网址渟cientific glassB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� also known as B次元官网网址渉ard glass,B次元官网网址� which differs from B次元官网网址渟oft glassB次元官网网址� that is typically used for drinking glasses and other household items.

Cosford said heB次元官网网址檇 been doing lampwork as a hobby for about two years, until a year ago when he was at place where he could begin selling pieces. Now, his work is being sold in the Shuswap and world over, with collectors in Japan and the U.S.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 happy to say IB次元官网网址檝e got pieces in many peoplesB次元官网网址� collections throughout the world,B次元官网网址� said Cosford, humbled by peopleB次元官网网址檚 interest in his creations. B次元官网网址淚t is appreciated by some people and I get a lot of comments that people find a lot of beauty in them, so thatB次元官网网址檚 really nice to get that.B次元官网网址�

Cosford said he first became interested in glass art in 2018, when he lived in Calgary. Fascinated by glass art heB次元官网网址檇 seen online, he eventually found someone who could teach him the craft. Cosford took a few lessons before setting up his own studio in a shed in his backyard.

B次元官网网址淚 purchased my first torch and set of tools, the bare basics, and just started playing from there,B次元官网网址� said Cosford. B次元官网网址淚 think I did almost two years of that in Calgary, and then the last year and a half we moved out to B.C. and I was able to construct a nice little studio in my property in Anglemont.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e got a little studio in the trees that I work out of. IB次元官网网址檓 very inspired by nature and the lakes around me B次元官网网址� just kind of the beauty of B.C. has been incredible for me.B次元官网网址�

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Cosford explained lampworking for him is both a passion and an ongoing education. He said two of his favourite things to work with are gold and silver. Through a process called B次元官网网址渇uming,B次元官网网址� he uses his torch to essentially vaporize the precious metal.

B次元官网网址淚t forms a coating on the piece of glass IB次元官网网址檓 working with, and it can create just a wild variation of colours, pretty much every colour of the rainbow can come out of just the different layers and the way the light reflects,B次元官网网址� said Cosford.

Another material he incorporates in a similar fashion are synthetic opals. He explained they have to be synthetic as real opals can have water content, which can cause the glass to explode.

B次元官网网址淓verything is so deep and there are reasons behind temperatures and what certain glass will withstand and other materials, theyB次元官网网址檒l boil at different temperatures or lose their colourationB次元官网网址�,B次元官网网址� said Cosford. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an endless rabbit hole; there are just so many different techniques and things to try and experiment.B次元官网网址�

With Fire and Ash Memorials, Cosford takes the cremated ash of deceased loved ones and pets to create table displays or pendants for people to wear. One of his popular pieces is the Galaxy Memorial Stone, large glass marble that appears to contain a galaxy within.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e always been fascinated with space and one of the really beautiful effects IB次元官网网址檝e been able to get in glass is kind of a galaxy, universe effect,B次元官网网址� said Cosford. B次元官网网址淲ith peopleB次元官网网址檚 ashes, when itB次元官网网址檚 encased in glass, it ends up looking like white flecks, which goes great as essentially being stars in these tiny universes encased in glass. ThatB次元官网网址檚 one of my favourite styles of piece to do with those memorial pieces B次元官网网址� I guess envisioning somebody being among the stars as their final resting place.B次元官网网址�

In addition to pursuing his lampwork full time, Cosford has other related plans. One is to try and raise awareness of and grow the glass art community.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 hoping in the next couple of years IB次元官网网址檒l be able to expand and start offering lessons and maybe grow a little bit of a community of people that are interested in pursuing glass art,B次元官网网址� said Cosford. B次元官网网址淢aybe even take on an apprentice if I find people that are interested. I have all those plans right now but theyB次元官网网址檙e definitely going to be down the road.B次元官网网址�

CosfordB次元官网网址檚 work, including some of his turtles, can be found on his Cosford Glass page on Etsy. It can also be found at fireandashmemorials.com.

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