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Sea Glass
All of the sea glass you see in my studio was found on my beach where I live in point prim. Sea glass is glass that has been discarded and broken on the beach. Over time the sandstone and the motion of the surf tame it's sharp edges and shiny surfaces creating a patina. Many years ago many of the local houses had their own dump sites where they would discard bottles and broken glassware. These where located farther away from the home, many near the shoreline. Over the years erosion has exposed some of these sites washing them into the ocean. This beach faces the Charlottetown harbour and years ago ships would discard their bottles into Hillsborough Bay. These would be carried onto the shoreline by the tide. Extremely dark olive green was from old rum bottles that where ferried up from the Caribbean islands from the prohibition. The dark glass was proffered for it's ability to block the sunlight. Brown glass was of course very Canadian beer bottles. Brighter green as well as white was from pop bottles. Cobalt blue from old noxzema, milk of magnesia, or medicinal bottles. Lavender or pink is very old white glass. White glass before the turn of the century was made with magnesium and over time this oxidizes and turns pink or lavender. There are many other colours that can be found as well. These would be likely from art glass vessels or tableware. Rare to find on the Island, red glass would be from old buoys and taillights. I find most of my glass in the spring or the fall when the surf is rife with storms. It's very therapeutic to walk the beach and search for the illusive find. Ordinary household items discarded and transformed by nature into something beautiful and treasured. Cathy takes these remnants of our past and combines them with semi-precious stones; Swarovski crystals and sterling silver findings to create one of a kind jewellery.