2025 GAAC Conference

Call for Entry: Make it Blue

A Glass Art Association of Canada 2025 Conference Exhibition

We’re all familiar with the expression: “If you can’t make it good, make it big. If you can’t make it big, make it blue.” It’s a phrase commonly tossed around among glassblowers, though it originally stems from American graphic designer Paul Rand, with one intentional twist: the colour changed from red to blue.

But why blue?

Beyond the thousands of historic blue glass artifacts found in Egypt and Mesopotamia, there’s a peculiar story behind the colour’s modern association. In 1876, Civil War General Augustus James Pleasonton published a book claiming that light altered through blue glass could restore health and wellness. The pseudoscientific theory sparked a health craze across North America, driving up the value of blue glass by as much as 50%.

Though science eventually debunked the claims, the connection between blue glass, wellness, and wealth had already taken root. In the post-war era, the rise of Depression Glass, including pieces made by Canadian manufacturers, capitalized on this association. Affordable yet elegant, these mass-produced items helped sustain blue glass’s popularity well into the 20th century.

As glass artists, we can’t help but appreciate the irony. Blue glass is one of the most affordable colours to work with—yet it remains deeply desirable. That’s where our cheeky mantra comes in: “Make it blue.”

In times when belief can eclipse logic, blue glass stands as the perfect metaphor for the tension between perceived and inherent value.

This conference exhibition invites participants to submit work inspired by blue, whether that’s a reimagined body of work, a curated selection of existing pieces, or a conceptual interpretation of the word itself. All are welcome. Have fun. Just make it blue.

Eligibility & Details

• Submissions are open to all GAAC 2025 conference attendees
• 1 submission per attendee (groupings allowed)
• Drop off work at the time of registration, onsite at Kwanlin Dün
• Reception from Friday, June 6, 5-7:30 pm at Kwanlin Dün in the Elders Lounge
• All mediums welcome
• Exhibition items may be for sale – 50/50 split processed by GAAC or can be donated towards GAAC’s fundraising silent auction

Currated by Silvia Taylor

Call for Submissions: “Timestamp” — A National Portrait of Glass Studios in 2025

In preparation for the upcoming Glass Art Association of Canada’s 2025 Conference in Whitehorse, Yukon, June 5–8, 2025, we invite glass artists and studios across Canada to take part in “Timestamp,” a photo exhibition that captures who we are—right now.

We’re asking for a simple photo of you and the folks you work with in your studio. It could be a group portrait in front of the equipment, a candid shot mid-process, or a casual iPhone snap of your team—posed or unposed, smiling or serious. You decide. Think of it as a collective time capsule: a way to document where the Canadian glass community stands at this moment in history—ideally, one photo/submission per studio.

Who can submit?

Anyone! Whether you’re a student, studio tech, independent artist, or part of a larger team—you don’t need to be a current member to participate. The more studios represented, the better.

What to submit:

• One group photo (JPEG format only, please—no PDFs)
• A list of the names of everyone pictured
• Studio name and location
• Date photo was taken (as recent as possible)

Deadline: May 23, 2025
Submit to: Jotform Link

Let’s come together to mark this moment—one frame at a time.