Artist Profile: Revelstoke’s Glass Duck

In Leah Allison’s home, dish ware is not only functional but also beautiful. Cups are proudly on display, each a different colour, shape and size lovingly handmade by the glass artist.

Her aim is to create beauty through her creations, from decorative balls to dresses, and drinking glasses to jewelry.

“Most of the things I make are mostly things I’d like to use myself and wear,” Allison says. “I just want to have more beautiful things in people’s lives.”

Cups handmade by glass artist Leah Allison. Photo: Leah Allison

You may have seen Allison’s creations on display at the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre in August. Under the name of Glass Duck, Allison is one of many who contribute to the local art scene. She dreams of opening a studio here in the future, but until then she commutes intermittently to her job in Invermere .

Allison’s discovery for her passion with glass was a chance encounter. She previously was a chef who styled food for a cookbook company. When she got laid off due to cutbacks, Allison moved to the mountains of Invermere to recharge and started a job at Bavin Glassworks. That was 14 years ago.

“As soon as I made my first bead, I was done with cooking,” Allison says.

Leah Allison works on her glass in the workshop in Invermere. Photo: Leah Allison

But she’s found the two pursuits can be somewhat mutually beneficial.

“I never used to think cooking was artistic, until I started doing glass,” Allison says. “I like to make things you can eat and drink out of. And then you can combine the two things.”

Find Allison on Facebook through GlassDuck or on Instagram @glassduckjewelry.

This story was first published in the September issue of the Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine.