David Doust, an artist from Toronto Canada, began his artistic journey with early exposure to fine art and art history as a young teen. He pursued his passion at the University of Toronto’s Erindale campus, studying Art Education. Dave’s sculptures span a variety of mediums, including cultured stones, resin, glass, bronze, wood and paint. Notable public works include the giant sculpture of a butterfly on a hand in Arroyo Grande, (its five fingers represent the five cities), and decorative stop signs in Shell Beach. Dave is driven by the intricate dance of colors and light, particularly through glass and paint, which continues to fuel his creative exploration.
The amazing interaction between light and glass is what first attracted Richard Mortensen to this medium over 40 years ago. For the past 30 years he has been working in fusing, the “art” of taking glass to an almost liquid state and then slowly cooling to fuse the pieces together. By incorporating pressure into the fusing process, Richard found a greater flexibility in his creations, allowing for more interesting color and pattern combinations. In spite of the associated cuts and burns, Richard keeps a good supply of sheet glass and band-aids on hand. Many of his pieces are influenced by his travels throughout the American Southwest and Latin America.
Dianne Draze is a keen observer with an ardent appreciation for things of beauty. Her journey into glass art began in 2005 with her first glass fusing class, sparking a passion for the medium. While her background in mathematics and publishing may seem unconventional for an artist, she skillfully integrated both into her creative process. Dianne uses her mathematical training to design pieces with balanced, harmonious compositions, while her publishing experience helps her transform ideas into unique, functional, and decorative glass art. From purely ornamental works to one-of-a-kind serving pieces, her creations reflect both precision and creativity.