A High River artisan has honed her craft working with stained glass for most of her life, but this year, she took the plunge into transforming her lifelong hobby into a vibrant career.
Amanda Zeleniski first learned how to make stained glass from her aunt Heidie when she was a child.
“She's no longer with us due to Multiple Sclerosis (MS), but I've continued doing it throughout my life,” Zeleniski said.
A few years ago, Zeleniski and her mother created “Hearts of Hope,” a stained glass project, where some of the proceeds were donated to MS Canada in memory of her aunt.
After the “Hearts of Hope” project, Zeleniski was inspired to transform her passion into a business, Phoenix Bird Creations.
“I enjoy doing it. This is something I love to do, so I thought I would make something out of it and create a business,” she said.
The first step in creating a new piece is determining what pattern, shapes, and colours Zeleniski wants to use, before cutting out the materials and assembling everything.
After that, she cuts the glass, grinds the edges, foils, and solders it, and then cleans up the edges for the final time.
Depending on the piece, Zeleniski will sometimes use a patina to change the colour of the metal, or she will shine the silver.
“It's quite a tedious job, but I love it so much,” she said. “When a piece is finished, it's just an incredible feeling.”
The timeline for each project changes depending on the level of detail.
“It absolutely depends on how many pieces it could have, how big it is, and on the cut too,” Zeleniski said.
Despite the amount of time each piece can take, Zeleniski enjoys challenging herself on the more intricate pieces.
Not only does Zeleniski attribute her passion for art to her aunt, but her inspiration for nature and animal pieces also comes from her aunt.
“I definitely like making animals. I really love dogs, and there was a wolf that was a really nice one I enjoyed,” she said. “I made the dog patterns myself. So, you can't find those patterns anywhere.”
Throughout the summer, Zeleniski is bringing her creations to the High River Farmers’ Market.
“This is all new. I’m just trying to put myself out there,” Zeleniski said. “I'm going to do the best I can, it depends on the weather with the glass and the wind, it's been a little harsh.”
The High River Farmers’ Market runs from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. along 4th Ave SW every Thursday until Sept. 18.