It’s been an interesting
journey for Elke, from being the first female Tool & Die Maker in Canada to
becoming a glass artists, writer and painter. Working with glass and paints is always an organic adventure
that contrasts sharply with the exacting nature of her trade. A career in the arts was not an option
for her when she was growing up; everything had to have a practical purpose, or
it wasn’t worth the effort put into it.
Most of Elke’s glass pieces are created to be used and enjoyed every
day and speak to her utilitarian side.
Practicality does not nourish her spirit in the same way that artistic
expression does.
By the time Elke became the
first female high school Machine Shop teacher in Canada, she realized that each
of us is on our own path in life.
Each of us has strengths unique to ourselves. She is amazed every day that students find their own
creative alternatives to prescribed projects. In her home studio near Grand Bend, she delights in teaching
the process and skills required to complete a piece and then watching
creativity unfold in each student.
The design in this project
represents how each of us makes our own way in life. We touch and intersect with each other’s path and sometimes
navigate our own path alone. Two
common truths bind all of us together: birth and death. Our bright and beautiful life in
between is unique to our own soul.
