vitraux osterrath

PIERRE OSTERRATH STAINED GLASS ARTIST

Master glass artist and sculptor, Pierre Osterrath was born 1939 at Esneux in Belgium, becoming a Canadian citizen in 1958. He comes from a family who for more than four generations, have created stained glass in more than 40 countries receiving honours for exhibitions in Paris, Brussels, Ghent and Liege. The Osterrath tradition focuses on artistic integrity.

As well as teaching as a professor for 32 years at the l'école des arts visuels de l'Université Laval, since 1968 Pierre has been directing his own studio workshop including installations which in total would cover a surface area of more than 20,000 square metres. Since 1990 his spouse, Marie-France Dion, has been collaborating with Pierre in the studio and participates at every stage of a project in progress.

Their creative discovery is based on the sheer pleasure of using colour to explore maximum poetic potential. By harmonizing coloured glasses of the same family and matching various shades, subtle effects are possible, paradoxically ranging from low key to strongly contrasted across the chromatic range.

Hand-blown antique glass is preferred because of the richness of both its colour and texture. The main focus is not just on figurative representation but rather on transparency, quality of light and luminous effects that play out in the immediate environment. When a project concept is being developed, strong priority is given to integrating the place and function of the artwork.