Susan Richey Gottselig is well known for her creative glass sculpture. Her unique designs are expressive and fluid. She integrates the properties of glass into her imagery creating harmony between subject and medium.

“I have always had an intrinsic need to create. I am drawn to glass for its visual and tactile qualities and I find this hot, flowing liquid can bring life to my images like no other material.

"The process of sculpting with glass presents exciting challenges and limitless possibilities. Each day as I sit down at the bench to begin my work I am keenly aware of how fortunate I am to be able to work at something I love. The glass is hot, the music is rocking and the process begins. It’s magic!”

Each sculpture is made by hand, giving wonderful variations in colour and form. To begin each piece, a “gathering” of molten glass is collected from a 2000 degree melting furnace onto a steel pipe or punti. The hot glass is sculpted with hand tools, and when finished the piece must be slowly cooled (annealed) for 24 hours or more.

Susan Gottselig was born in the U.S. in the late 1940’s and spent her formative years in East Africa. She immigrated to Canada in 1974 and has a hot glass studio in the Rocky Mountain town of Canmore, Alberta. She finds inspiration in her rich environment and world travels. Susan holds a B.F.A. from the Alberta College of Art and Design and has a Master’s degree. She exhibits in Canada and internationally and her work can be found in many corporate and private collections.