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FEATURE
JOURNEY in
A
BY CORINNE LUTTER
APEGA Public Relations Coordinator
(story & photos)

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FEATURE
When APEGA sought something
contemporary and unique to symbolize the
Summit Awards, Edmonton’s Keith Walker
got all fired up. So did his furnaces

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FEATURE
Earning an APEGA Summit Award takes creativity, skill, hard work
and knowledge. So too does turning a blob of molten glass into a
stunning work of art for winners to take home.
“Glass sculpting is not unlike engineering in some respects.
You have a set of tools and you have to take this raw material and
turn it into your design,” says Alberta artist Keith Walker.
The raw materials used to make glass — sand, soda ash and
lime — bring geoscience into the picture. Mr. Walker’s creations
start with cullet, a recycled glass mixture, which he melts in a
furnace at temperatures up to 1,300 C.
Summit Awards are presented annually to recognize and cel-
ebrate creativity, achievement and excellence in engineering and
geoscience. APEGA decided to redesign the award itself in time for
the 2012 presentations. The new version, staffers hoped, would re-
flect the meaning of the awards in an interesting and contemporary
way, while maintaining the gravitas and classiness of the annual
Summit Awards Gala.
From initial concept drawings to prototypes to finished pieces,
the design evolved over several months until just the right form was
achieved. Mr. Walker designed the new award. Then he brought the
designs to life in his custom-built Edmonton studio, Blow in the Dark
Glassworks.
“I think it’s great that organizations like APEGA are willing to
work with local artists to support arts and culture in the commu-
nity,” says Mr. Walker. “As an artist, it means a great deal to me to
have that support.”
Mr. Walker often finds visual inspiration in nature. That held
true for his new Summit Award. He’s created a three-dimensional
sculpture shaped like a mountain’s summit to symbolize the high
level of achievement attained by members. Inside the clear glass are
swirling green and blue ribbons, symbolizing energy and innovation,
and reflecting the colours of APEGA’s logo.
While very similar looking, no two awards are exactly alike.
Beautiful and timeless, they were created for the same cost as the
previous Summit Awards.
HOBBY BECOMES PASSION BECOMES BUSINESS
Mr. Walker has always had a creative side, working as a wedding
photographer and journeyman carpenter before discovering glass
blowing about 10 years ago. He started off making vases as a hobby,
but soon glass blowing became a serious passion.
It’s a passion he acted on. First, Mr. Walker volunteered as an
assistant at a local glass studio to get hands-on training in the art of
glass blowing. Then he further honed his skills by volunteering as

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FEATURE
“I think it’s great that organizations like APEGA
are willing to work with local artists to support
arts and culture in the community. As an artist, it
means a great deal to me to have that support.”
PEAK PERFORMANCE
From far left: throughout the sculpting process, the glass is reheated several times in a furnace to keep it at a workable temperature; Mr. Walker begins shaping a Summit Award
by rolling it on a steel table, in a process called marvering; a torch and various hand tools are used to bring the design to life.
-photos by Corinne Lutter

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FEATURE
“Working on a new piece and seeing it
evolve right before your eyes — all the
while knowing one false move will send
it crashing to the studio floor — is a
thrill ride which I will never tire of.”
THE ARTIST IN BRIEF
• Keith Walker’s pieces have been
on display at various glass and art
shows.
• His first public art commission was a
permanent blown glass installation at
the Central Lions Senior Recreation
Centre in Edmonton. It features 500
individual pieces that together make
a cluster of glass vines, flowers and
fruit.
• Look for his latest art installation in
the U.S. departures lounge at the
Edmonton International Airport.
SIDEBAR
a pole-turner at the Pilchuck Glass School
in Seattle, an international education centre
for glass artists. Mr. Walker also attended
courses at the Pittsburgh Glass Center.
Five years ago, Mr. Walker decided
to take a risk and turn his passion into a
business. With the encouragement of his
wife, Edmonton fashion designer Sabrina
O’Donnell, he began building a studio in his
backyard.
“I built it from the ground up over a
five-year period,” says Mr. Walker, who put
his carpentry skills to work to get the job
done. “There was a point when I wondered
if it would ever happen, if I was crazy to be
investing so much time and money into the
studio.”
It’s now a bright, airy space where
Mr. Walker spends many hours working
on various projects, from whimsical and
intricate art installations to more functional
pieces, like glass tumblers, light fixtures and
bowls. And yes, he still does vases. He also
teaches glass blowing to aspiring artists.
The studio’s state-of-the-art
equipment includes a crucible (a furnace
that holds the molten glass) and a second
furnace for reheating the glass as it’s
being worked on. He assembled the
second furnace himself, learning how
to weld so he could save on costs. After
many months of construction, the studio
opened for business in June 2011.
THE JOY OF GRUELLING WORK
Glass is an unforgiving medium. The
art of glass blowing requires creativity,
of course, but also mental and physical
stamina and technical skill. In Mr. Walker’s
book these are satisfying challenges
rather than negatives. “My attraction to
this medium is that it fills my desire to
push my limits physically and creatively.”
He continues: “You really have to
think about the steps you’re going to
take to turn this blob of glass into your
creation. Once you start there’s no going
back. You’re committed from start to
finish.”
Even a small project can take several
hours to complete. Each Summit Award, for
example, takes about three hours to sculpt.
The process begins when Mr. Walker
gathers molten glass on a long metal pole.
From there, he is in constant motion,
moving back and forth between his work
bench and furnaces, moulding, reheating,
shaping and cutting, until the final design
slowly emerges.
“The possibilities with glass are limit-
less. It always keeps you on your toes and
guessing. Working on a new piece and
seeing it evolve right before your eyes — all
the while knowing one false move will send
it crashing to the studio floor — is a thrill
ride which I will never tire of.”
Mr. Walker hopes his art evokes
emotions from those who hold it and look
at it. “It doesn’t matter if it’s positive or
negative, as long as they have a reaction,”
he says. “I want people to feel a connection
to the art. If they feel a connection, that
means it’s a success.”
A GLASS ACT
Glass sculpting requires concentration and attention to
detail. Each new Summit Award took Mr. Walker about
three hours to sculpt in his Edmonton studio.
-photo by Corinne Lutter