Featured Glass Artist: Kate McLeod

Kate MacLeod is a highly sought after glass artist working from her studio at Bend, Oregon. Her artistic endeavors in glass art focuses on one-of-a-kind commissioned pieces for specific environments using a multitude of glass forming techniques.

Kate’s artwork is highly unique. She is one of the few artists that use dichroic glass as the base of her work. Her technique often creates the look and depth of blown glass in sheet form. Incorporating the versatility of dichroic’s transmitted and reflective uses, Kate’s art is ever evolving to her audience.

The Artist's Journey

A painter by training, Kate took a class in enameling during college. Never able to work small, that adventure lead to the completion of a glass breast plate which later found its way into the performances of Lady Bo Diddley. After 30 years in corporate America, longing for a return to art, Kate was able to change the focus of  her life, and glass was the first medium she decided to explore.  A stained glass class at the local community college put her hands to it and she has never turned back, or sideways for that matter!

Tirelessly Innovating

Kate is inspired by the challenge to create objects that appear as nothing has before, she is absorbed by that pursuit.  Developing new techniques that amaze and dazzle the eye, is something Kate finds extremely rewarding about working with glass.  She also loves then teaching those techniques, and watching them customized and transformed through other’s talent.

When talking to artists who are just starting in glass Kate advises them to develop their vision first, then find a way to make it happen.

“Creativity begs a constant, unrestricted supply of material supported by professionals who understand not only the nature of business, but the nature of an artist as well. Ed Hoy’s perfects that unlikely synergy with constant innovation and expertise in glass.  Always there with the requested, from the elusive bevel for which there is no substitute to the latest technology in kiln formation, Ed Hoy’s delivers every time. Thank you for allowing me the freedom to create!”

Watch Kate Macleod give us a lesson in dichroic painting in this Coatings By Sandberg video:

Inspired to do something new in dichroic?

Don’t forget to browse our dichroic glassselection online to stock up!