Schofield Samantha

Article by Erika Glassberg
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December 17, 2011

Samantha Schofield, owner of The Pixie Glass Shoppe in Green Valley stands with one of her hand made stained glass ornaments. After cutting the glass, sanding it down with a special machine and lining it with copper foil tape and applying a special liquid over everything, Schofield is able to take her soldering tool and mend the pieces together.

After taking up stained glass art as a hobby, Samantha Schofield, owner of The Pixie Glass Shoppe, has made a business for herself selling her beautifully crafted artwork.

Schofield started making glass ornaments and soldering with her husband several years ago as something to do in the evening. "We started it as a hobby and then the requests were coming from family and friends to make them something for gifts," she said.

The arts has always been a part of Schofield's life. She attended university for a music program but when she injured her arm, she was no longer able to play and had to find an-
other way of expressing herself. She turned to ceramics after a family member had showed her how to create ceramic pieces but it still wasn't filling the void.

"Once I picked up the glass I knew I had found my little niche:' she said. The process to make the ornaments, sun catchers and night lights can be time consuming but the end result is worth it. To create the little ornaments, there are a number of steps to do before the creation is complete.

The first step is to cut the glass into the desired shape with a special glass cutting tool. Once the shape is cut, it needs to be sanded with a special diamond incrusted sanding bit.
By sanding the glass, the sharp edges become smoother with more grip to allow the copper foil to stick to it better. Once the foil is applied, the next step is to play the pieces of glass in the desired shape and then use a soldering iron and special metal to create the piece.

"I think each piece expresses its own feeling and mood when its finished being created." said Schofield. "But I do like making my work distinct from what other artists
are doing by using different techniques when applying the solder, adding paint, or other elements like water work or bead work."

She is also able to repair specialty pieces such as stained glass windows and can create
custom personalized products. Schofield enjoys making the stained glass creations so much that she offers workshops to those who want to try it.

The workshops are $45 a person (plus applicable taxes) and are available to everyone 10
years and older. Minors are asked to be accompanied by an adult and to sign a waiver.

For more information, contact Schofield at 613-525-4314 or visit her website 'at
www.thepgs.com.