Glaskrafter Art Glass

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Biography Born October 1953 in San Francisco, Christopher Smith moved to British Columbia in 1970. Because of the circumstances that brought Chris to Canada, he assumed the name of D. Michael McRae. He began working in stained glass in 1975, employed as an apprentice to Thomas B. Shields at the Glass Head Studio in Nelson B.C. This studio was primarily concerned with religious stained glass restoration and residential stained glass design and fabrication. Also in 1975, Chris (aka D. Michael) spent a semester at the Alberta College of Art, studying glass blowing under the direction of Norman Faulkner. He moved to Nanaimo in 1976, and studied art history at Malaspina College. As D. Michael McRae he exhibited at the 1983, '85 and '88 B.C. Festival of the Arts showcase gallery 'Images and Objects'. He also was an invited participant in 'Glass Act' 1 and 2 at the Fort Langley Centennial Museum and was an exhibitor with Fabric Artist Elaine Duncan at the Old School House Gallery. He opened the original Glaskrafter Art Glass Studio in Nanaimo in 1977. The Studio relocated to Lantzville in 1986. That same year the Canadian Government granted Christopher Landed Immigrant status. In 1991 he moved his studio to its present location behind his home on the edge of Nanoose Bay. Glaskrafter Art Glass is one of the oldest established art glass studios on Vancouver Island and provides a full range of services, from repairing broken French doors to complete design and consultation work with clients, interior designers and architects, resulting in glass work very specific to site and client. Christopher became a Canadian Citizen in 2002 Chris has taught many classes in both stained glass and sandblasting glass and glass fusing and slumping techniques. He was an Instructor at Malaspina College, North Island College and the Nelson School District. He also spent a rewarding ten years (starting in 1996) working with selected Grade 12 students at Nanaimo District Secondary, helping them design and build stained glass windows for their new library and scattering stained glass windows and fused glass panels throughout the school. He now holds private classes and workshops primarily at his studio. Although commissioned work keeps him pretty busy, Chris does show new work in his own gallery , The Gallery at Mattick's Farm, Cordova Bay, Side Street Studio in Victoria, the Old School House Gallery in Qualicum Beach and the Comox Valley Art Gallery Gift Store. The Glaskrafter

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