It is with deep regret that I write this post to inform you that Canada recently lost a preeminent glass artist.  Jeff Goodman passed away after a valiant battle with cancer.  Jeff was an outstanding artist, passionate creator, designer and so much more.  He was a loving husband and father.  He was a great neighbour and friend.  I met Jeff many years ago when our children were babies.  When I was introduced to Jeff and told he was a glass artist I didn’t quite understand – prescription glasses or drinking glasses?  Silly me!  I have come to understand that Jeff’s talent of creating with glass has ‘wowed’ the world over.  Jeff’s dramatic blown glass vessels and chandeliers, as well as his architectural glass installations can be seen in public spaces, galleries and centers throughout the world.  In my own home I have a few pieces of Jeff’s glass, ok…..12 to be exact, that I cherish.  Here are 2 of them.

But the pieces that I hold near and dear to my heart are the ones that Jeff truly showed his talent of his thoughtfulness and generosity.  When our children were small, Jeff invited us into his studio to cast in glass our hands and the children’s little feet.  As you can imagine 3-year olds would be very excited and rather rambunctious running around the studio, but Jeff always had a smile on his face and seemed to be truly happy creating one-of-a-kind masterpieces with all of us.  One year we even cast our faces into glass!  Here is a photo of Jeff and my then 3 year old son pushing his hands into a special sand mixture before the liquid glass was poured into the cast.

My son’s hands and feet.

Jeff is no longer with us but his generosity, passion, talent and love will live on forever.  I encourage you to visit the Jeff Goodman Studio website www.jeffgoodmanstudio.com and have a look at his beautiful creations and lasting legacy.

All images via Modmissy