David Westelmajer

“Conquering The Virus,” Stained Glass

“Heron,” Stained Glass

“Bird Study No.1” Stained Glass

Artist Biography

My name is David Westelmajer originally from Toronto, Ontario where I grew up in the suburb of Scarborough. My father was a stone mason and but his hobby and real passion was creating realistic sculptures, predominantly human figures. This early exposure to art sparked a lifelong fascination with the creative process and desire to participate in it. I was able to immerse myself in contemplation of the masters during a backpacking trip around Europe in 1970-71 but I didn’t start making art until 1974 when I began working at Luxfer Studios in Toronto –  making, repairing and installing stained glass windows. In 1979 my family moved to Calgary, Alberta and since then I worked in stained glass at several different stained-glass studios and in my home studio. I also started working in clay roughly 20 years ago at North Mount Pleasant Art Centre after taking my daughters there for a multitude of different art lessons. This has become a very fun and rewarding hobby. I call it my ‘ Mud Therapy ‘. I mostly work on the wheel and make functional objects. This year, my wife and I are moving to Metchosin and I will be working in a new and larger space. I hope to take advantage of this change of scene to explore some new areas of clay and glasswork. Joining the group of talented artists at Metchosin ArtPod is and hopefully will continue to be inspirational.