About The Glass Bakery and the Fused Glass Birds
The Glass Bakery fused glass studio was established in 2010 in Nova Scotia, by Cara Wedgbrow.
A BELGIAN SHEPHERD DOG: The Catalyst for The Glass Bakery and the Birds!
I established The Glass Bakery in 2010 with the aim of being able to work at home with my dog Hudson. I always promised myself and him, that I'd try to make a career working from home as much as I was able.
A researcher at heart, I poured myself into learning about artisanal life, running a small, local business and experimenting with everything and anything "fused glass". Mistakes were many but luckily occasionally I learnt from them ;-)
WHY GLASS BIRD ORNAMENTS?
As many with family dogs would understand, after Hudson died, the centre of my world dropped out. Seeking a connection with nature, I found myself watching the smaller things in life, in particular the birds. Life paused. Eventually a whimsical range of glass birds emerged, along with some smiles.
If you’d like to know more about The Glass Bakery and the story, Cottage Life magazine was nice enough to write a bit about how The Glass Bakery began.
PLAYFUL BIRDS
The birds are a collectable series of heart-warming characters crafted to capture your eye and imagination. Each bird has a personality, and is unique - simply and beautifully handcrafted from coloured glass with no paints, moulds or glazes.
I’m forever grateful that the birds continue to delight bird and nature lovers of all ages. They seem to capture an innocence and playfulness, and remind people of a special place, time, or person.
CONNECTED TO NATURE
A connectedness with nature and wildlife, and a strong affinity with dogs remains the motivation behind The Glass Bakery® gift collections and company values. In memory of Hudson, and his profound legacy, The Glass Bakery supports local and national Canadian dog charities through donations-in-kind and annual giving.
LIVING IN ANNAPOLIS ROYAL
After 14 years fusing glass by the sparkling waters of the St Margaret's Bay, Nova Scotia, The Glass Bakery relocated to the town of Annapolis Royal - an historic town in the beautiful Annapolis Valley, and adjacent to the Bay of Fundy. In the summer months, Annapolis Royal is vibrant with farmer's markets, music events and seasonal gift shops. It's quieter in the winter, but still worth a visit! The Historic Gardens are open all year-round!
It was a feat and a half dismantling the shop, moving the kilns, many hundreds of feet of glass sheets, and oodles of driftwood! Although the quaint artisan studio shop no longer exists, The Glass Bakery's birds continue to be sold in gift shops and galleries both in the Town of Annapolis Royal, and in Nova Scotia as a whole. The glass birds are also available from a selection of gift stores around Nova Scotia, The Maritimes and Ontario.
GLASS BIRDS AND ALL THINGS DOG.
I love making the birds, especially the way they come to life. To say they're nature's therapy is not a cliche. However, as a glass artisan that makes birds, you might be surprised that my passion is dogs. Dogs remain a huge part of my life - and take over a large part of my brain. I particularly love learning about dog behaviour and communication.
ROUGH COLLIE & BELGIAN SHEPHERD - THE NEW CHAPTER
Fast Forward to the present day and life includes a Belgian Shepherd and Rough Collie who keep me down to earth and smiling.
I hope you get a smile out of both the birds and my dog photos as you browse or shop away. Thank you!
