Artist Leah Allison pushes her creative boundaries in “Glass”

It’s been quite the year for Revelstoke glass artist Leah Allison. She’s spent the past 12 months working on opening up her shop, Big Eddy Glass Works, making a glass-beaded dress for a fashion show in Mirano, Italy and created an abundance of original work for her first ever solo exhibition at the Revelstoke Art Gallery.

“I worked from August 1^st until now to fill this room,” said Allison, who’s exhibition “Glass” is on display in the main gallery. “I think it was a year ago we planned this and I thought ‘oh, my shop will be open no problem. It just took longer to start everything.”

Allison created all of the pieces specifically for the show, with the exception of the glass dress. She spent nine months working on the dress, which she wore while travelling in a boat down the canal in Mirano as part of a festival in May.

“It was so surreal. We got on the boats in the open water away from the main event and then all the boats, there’s 12 boats, we went around the corner and then there’s thousands of people lining the streets and watching,” she said.

The dress Leah Allison created for a fashion show in Mirano Italy. Photo: Melissa Jameson/Revelstoke Mountaineer.

The pieces Allison created for “Glass” range from utilitarian wine glasses and carafes to abstractly shaped glass-coloured mountains to a large wooden frame filled with colourful blown glass that she made with the help of her husband. The large framed piece was inspired by a piece Allison saw while in Mirano.

For Allison it was about pushing herself. While she has participated in group exhibitions before this is her first solo show. She pushed herself to stretch the ability of what she is able to make on her own — most of the pieces in her show would normally require the help of an assistant.

“I’ve been a glass artist for 15 years but I’ve always mostly made jewelry and also mostly worked for other people making their work so this was me being like ‘what do I even make and how do I make it?’” said Allison.

Surprise gathering for former executive director Victoria Strange.

The opening for the latest exhibitions at the Revelstoke Art Gallery got a bit of an early start. Victoria Strange recently stepped down as executive director of the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre in order to spend more time with her family. Members of the art community gathered before the show to attend a surprise gathering for Strange organized by friend and fellow artist Krista Stovel.

“I’m shocked. I had no clue. It took me a minute to figure out what was going on,” Strange said at the opening on Friday evening.

While Strange has stepped down as executive director she is staying on with the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre as a project developer.

Former Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre executive director Victoria Strange was truly surprised when she walked through the doors of the art gallery on Friday evening. Photo: Melissa Jameson/Revelstoke Mountaineer.

Along with Allison’s “Glass” there are are three other exhibitions currently showing at the Revelstoke Art Gallery. They are: Sandra Flood: A Year of Pots; Peter Blackmore: Painting with Fire, and; Tracy MacFarlane: Latest Works. The exhibitions are on display until Sept. 21.

You can check out Leah Allison’s studio, Big Eddy Glass Works, at 1741 Celgar Road. It’s open from Tuesday to Saturday.