ABOUT THE ARTIST

I was born in 1967 and raised in Queensville, a small rural farm community in Southern Ontario, Canada. This is where my fanciful imagination and keen sense of observation started to develop. I had a great childhood, fond memories of my sister and I surrounded by nature, one had no limits to the summer playtime in and amongst the farm fields of wheat, hay and corn or the tree forts and tire swings.  Winters we had 10′ of snow to build ice dens and of course, the March break vacation when my family would drive south to the most Magical place I know… Disney World! . . . . . . . Why would anyone want to grow up.

Between 1986 -1988 I attended Georgian College of applied Arts and Technology in Barrie, Ontario. I graduated receiving a 2nd year scholarship in the Creative Arts program.  Not truly knowing what direction in the art world I wanted to go in I decided to backpack in hopes to find my way. In 1990 I hopped on a plane to start my journey in Australia then made my way to Europe (in total, 8 months). My travel to Europe, its hard to explain other than … What grandeur!  the surroundings, the food, the people, how lucky was I to discover a world beyond the hay fields. Then, as fate (I do believe in that) happened,  While sketching in a piazza in Munich, Germany, I was approached by artist Rudolf Schmid. Rudolf offered to take me to a few local arts museums then suggested I come visit his Gallery, studio and family in the Bavarian forest. Unknown to me at the time but with that visit …… it changed my world! I was awe struck with his Gallery and what he accomplished, so much art! so much creation with glass! Never before had I seen this. Rudolf Schmid is a very prominent Bavarian Glass painter, he expressed interest in my work and offered an apprenticeship with him. www.glaeserne-scheune.de
And we all know what my answer was ‘YES’, who could pass up this unique opportunity.

I returned to Germany in 1992 for 3 months and discovered many new mediums of glass painting, one captured me,  Hinterglas. This technique re-awakened my childhood imagination. Ideas easily flowed through to the ends of my fingers enabling me to create magic on glass. During my studies, Fairies started to appear in my work, with that, their world intertwined with mine and they have never left.

I have been creating on glass as a professional artist since 1992. I have been represented in galleries in Veichtach, Germany;  Rochester, England;  New York, USA;  Toronto / Muskoka, Ontario and Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada. My work can be found in private and corporate collections. I have also won numerous awards over the years. My favorite place to be is in my studio creating new pieces. From 1992 – 2025 home was in Muskoka, Ontario. Hinterglas Castle 2003 – 2016 was my first studio Gallery nestled in the forest among a fairy village on Walker’s Point. From 2016 – 2024 my second studio gallery was in Bracebridge in a century old Livery where I created and showcased ‘Muskoka Etched in Time’, a 14′ x 20′ glass mural visually depicting Muskoka’s rich history. In 2025 I relocated to Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. This is my 3rd and final studio gallery. I am very excited to be here! Breathing the salty air, walking my dogs most mornings on the north shore ocean front and discovering the organic mossy forest floors has introduced new subject matter to my creative palette. Come in for a visit and see what I am working on.

ABOUT HINTERGLAS

Hinterglas or reverse glass painting is a traditional European technique in which the artist paints on the reverse side of the glass. The earliest examples of Hinterglas (cold painting) are from the time of Constantine, 3rd century. In the 13th and 14th century (Italy and Germany) the primary use of Hinterglas was to decorate furniture. By the 16th century Hinterglas gained popularity for its use of brilliant colours and intricate designs. In the 18th and 19th century, great demands for reverse glass painting opened many small businesses within the European community. The industry continued to thrive throughout Europe until the end of the 19th century when its demand was replaced by colour lithography and photography.
With my pieces, I use the method that allows the application of graphite, charcoal and / or watercolour to the glass (developed by Rudolf Schmid/Germany). The placement of a white backing or a second piece of glass against the image completes the process.

INSTALLATIONS
MUSKOKA – Etched in Time was launched in 2019.  Studio installation currently unavailable.

SILENT HERO  2020, a visual biography of a heroic man, my father, Bruce William Bews. 7 glass panels were created depicting his life’s story.
Please click on this link to see a short video  silent hero 720 tuned to one of my fathers favorite songs

MUSKOKA DISCOVERY CENTRE , Evolving Muskoka: Life on the Edge of the Shield
2 Portrait commissions of Letitia McCabe and Cheif Musquakie are part of the permanent display.

Visit my Facebook page for recent postings  www.Hinterglas-facebook