William (Bill) F. Popiel
242 Tennant Crescent.
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
S7H 4Y8
P - (306) 374-3003
Email – williampopiel@me.com
I have a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of
Manitoba, in 1976. I am a registered Professional Engineer in the
province of Saskatchewan. My artistic passion encompasses various
aspects of glass working which I have been striving to develop and
improve over the years.
Art
Education
Exhibition
s
2014
Shona Firman, Glass casting workshop
2010
Micheal Dupille, Fritography Workshop
2008
Bob Leatherbarrow Powders: Colour,
Components, & Crackle
2004
Dick Millard Painting I Class in Stained
Glass
2001
Joy Jubenvill Bead making Workshop
1994
Peter McGrain (Advanced Technique)
Workshop
1994
Dan Fenton Pate De Verre & Kiln Casting
Work Shop
1993
Rachel Mesrahi (Advanced Leading) Work
Shop
1992
ACA Glass Blowing Workshop
1991
Glass Painting Workshop
1987
Glass Fusing (self taught)
1983
Glass Abrasive Blasting & Carving (self
taught)
1981
Beginners glass class (Glassworks)
2012
Creativity & Spirituality
2011
Random Acts of Light
(Saskatoon Glassworkers Guild
exhibition at the SCC gallery)
2014
Glass Art 2006 to 2014
2003
Glass Art 2000 to 2003
2001
Vitreous Maximus
(Saskatoon Glassworkers Guild
exhibition at the SCC gallery)
1998
Glass Art 1996 to 1998
1995
Glass First
(Saskatoon Glassworkers Guild exhibition
at the SCC gallery)
Teaching
Membershi
ps
2007
2005
2003
2002
2001
1999
Beginning glass painting
Beginning glass painting
Beginning glass painting
Beginning glass painting
Intermediate glass painting
Beginning glass painting
Saskatchewan Craft Council (SCC)
Saskatoon Glass Workers Guild
Glass Art Association of Canada
Participation
I have been a member of the Saskatoon Glassworkers’ Guild since its
inception in 1987, and have held a number of executive positions
through the years, including treasurer and president.
Presently I am on the Saskatoon Glassworkers’ Guild executive
with responsibility for managing and updating the web page and
facebook page.
Artist Statement
I started my journey in stained glass in a class at Glass Works in Saskatoon in 1981. I had always been
excited by the interplay of colour and light through stained glass, and felt that this was the time to
explore and develop my skills in this art form. Glass is a truly unique medium to view, and a challenge
to work in. Since sunlight is ever changing in direction and intensity, so does a stained glass window's
colours and vibrance. There is a life generated in a seedy hand-blown glass that can't be duplicated in
other visual media. When you stand in the sunlight transformed by the stained glass's saturated colours,
it might impact more than your visual senses.
The elements within my glass art are created by working with glass in a variety of ways: glass blowing,
fusing, sandblasting, glass painting, lead sculpting, lead overlay, silk screening and glass plating
methods. Many of these methods introduce fine detail and a three-dimensional perspective to the
glasswork.
Recently I have been exploring light and shadow by using traditional glass painting methods and
dichroic metal coatings on hand-blown stained glass. Observed differences in line, form, colour and
shape in the mounted glass piece's projected image are truly magical. Throughout the glasswork and the
mounting system design, I am striving to make the magic obvious to all.
Another current body of work is entitled Symbols. Symbols are all around us, providing information and
direction in many of our day to day activities. However, many of ancient symbols have been secret or
lost in time. They can be symbols of protection, power, faith, or oracles to predict the fate of man.
Many are a captivating script in their own right. From Reiki symbols of attunement to Viking runes, I
am attempting to ferret out their meaning and purpose and bring them back into the light.