Upcycling artist turns trash into treasures

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This article was published 03/05/2019 (1790 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When George Klassen enrolled in a stained-glass workshop in 1980, he couldn’t have imagined he’d one day be working with the material on a daily basis, let alone that his future creations would one day grace display cases and be handed out at galas.

Klassen enjoyed the class, but put the hobby on the backburner until he retired from Manitoba Agriculture in 2004.

“I had no retirement plan,” he recalled. “I wanted to do something else, but I didn’t know what that was.”

JORDAN ROSS | THE CARILLON
George Klassen displays a selection of his glass artworks in his Steinbach home.
JORDAN ROSS | THE CARILLON George Klassen displays a selection of his glass artworks in his Steinbach home.

One day, the Carman resident noticed the town’s thrift store was moving to a new location, and built them some glass shelving. He soon got a call from someone who noticed the shelves and wondered if he could replace a glass panel in a screen door.

From there, he “slowly got into the artsy stuff—and the artsy stuff is much more fun.”

A year ago, Klassen, 70, relocated to Steinbach, bringing his glass art business, George’s Glass, with him. It’s a homecoming of sorts. Klassen grew up on a small farm near Friedensfeld, but left Steinbach 50 years ago.

He specializes in unique 3D artworks made from upcycled glass that would otherwise be bound for the landfill. Repurposing what the economy considers spent is important to him.

“For me, it’s gold,” he said. “It’s the satisfaction of taking something that would for sure be discarded, and making something out of it.”

There are few industry uses for old windows and glass inserts, so supply far outstrips demand. Klassen obtains everything from small panels to large sheets weighing 300 pounds, and stacks them in his garage workspace. He uses vacuum suction cups and a special ceiling-mounted lift when working with heavy pieces.

The former agricultural engineer said he enjoys the challenge of working with an art form in which all edges are visible in the finished product. There’s no way to hide a mistake, so an error often means starting over from square one.

“There’s no fudging it,” Klassen said.

The work also requires precision, tests his creativity, and allows him to set his own hours.

“This suits me perfectly,” he said at his carpet-covered workbench.

Klassen has taken on custom projects, like a hip-roof barn or lighthouse, on a made-to-order basis, and also produces awards and trophies for corporate clients like WestJet, Manitoba Seed Growers Association, Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, and Menno Simons College. He’s also displayed his work at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in Brandon.

All told, he’s produced an estimated 3,500 pieces over the past 15 years, including a daunting 2008 order for 1,500 Inukshuks that required him to enlist a few more pairs of hands. Trees, grain elevators, and table overlays are also popular.

A custom piece can take several days to design and produce. Klassen has built up a collection of jigs and templates for more common items.

He doesn’t use design software, instead relying on his engineering background to draw up plans by hand. After the design is settled, he selects a pane of glass anywhere from two to 12 millimetres thick, and polishes it under a bright lamp.

A quick pass with a handheld scorer allows the glass to break easily along the line. Lubricant in the tool’s handle keeps the cutting wheel running smoothly. Klassen also uses special breaking pliers with curved pincers to gently crack thicker glass.

Edges are then run by a wet belt sander (glass can chip if it overheats) and buffed with cork.

Special UV-activated glue allows pieces to remain adjustable under ordinary light. A few seconds under a UV lamp sets the adhesive, then it’s into a curing box overnight.

Lately, Klassen is most interested in using his art to explore pressing social issues, including climate change, settler-Indigenous relations, and the Israel-Palestine conflict.

“If I can use my creativity to bring attention to some of those issues, I get a lot of satisfaction out of that,” Klassen said.

One such piece, titled “Imperative Change,” is a commentary on cheap energy and the depletion of natural resources. Its design—spiralling rectangles topped with two outstretched hands—is intended to call to mind a whirlwind of change and a cry for help.

Another piece, “Beginning Reconciliation,” features two flawed Inukshuks standing side by side on an arrowhead-shaped base.

“We have broken people on both sides, but we can help each other’s brokenness,” he explained.

Klassen can be reached at georgesglass@mymts.net.

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