Due in part to the great success and camaraderie experienced by those who attended the Red Deer GAAC Conferences in 2000, and, as well, to the growing number of glass artists across the Prairies, it became apparent to some of us that an organization dedicated to glass artists working in this area would be greatly beneficial, not to mention fun. For several months (if not years) this idea has been casually tossed around, and Suki Ikeda, Susan Gottselig and Lisa Cerny finally decided to stop mulling and seriously look at the possibility of forming a very informal glass association. We sent out the seeds of our initial efforts and discussions in the hopes that we would be able to see the growth of a healthy organization. Our first year of existence proved more fruitful than we could have imagined. We have had two group shows, one in the spring of 2002 at the Avens Gallery in Canmore, and another at the Alberta Craft Council in Edmonton. Along with this we have had several social gatherings, a few slide presentations, we are very close to having a permanent presence on the web, and we have succeeded in bringing together a wonderful group of artists from various glass communities. For those of you who are new to HAWT, following is a brief outline of our goals and objectives, as well as some strategies and action plans addressing the former. We continue to adapt and change as we grow and evolve as an organization. Your input and feedback are essential, so let us know what you think.

R-elationships - to simply say who we are and where we are

R-esource - to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, energy and information

R-esponse - to promote and herald glass artistry across the Prairies

R-ecreation - to promote and support mirth and merriment in our community

Following is part of an article that was published in a fairly recent edition of the GAAC (Glass Art Association of Canada) magazine.

The acronym HAWT got thrown around, and though at first it seemed a bit lighthearted, it has become a rather fitting moniker. In the summer of 2001, we sent out the seeds of our initial meeting in the form of a letter briefly outlining our mandate. We asked for input from the community at large and for information about the kinds of work they were doing and what they hoped an organization like HAWT might be able to accomplish. The decision had been made that if the response we received was lukewarm that we wouldn't continue. The difficulty we encountered locating our target audience made our task seem all the timelier. Bit by bit, letters were returned with questionnaires completed, e-mails were sent back with enthusiastic replies, word spread and individuals were eager to get involved. Clearly we had enough support to carry on.

Our first function was what else, a fundraiser. Without a penny to our name, it made planning and organizing functions on zero$ a bit of a challenge. With the kind cooperation of Jim Norton and Barry Fairbairn, we set up at Double Struggle and had a mug sale. Anything donated was sold for under $20, and not surprisingly, the consistent generosity of glass artists provided us with loads of great bargains. Following the resounding success of our first event, we dubbed Jim and Barry's studio "The Blowhole", unofficial clubhouse to our newly formed group.

As a follow-up to the fundraiser, several other events started to take shape. We had a Christmas Ball X-change at "The Blowhole - Calgary’s oldest hot shop and newest hotspot", the ACAD lecture hall was booked for a couple of slide nights, and the first installment of "HAWT Stuff", with articles by the likes of Ron Dell, and Vinnie Shun, was hot off the press. As part of every "gathering", an announcement was made encouraging members to initiate projects and come forth with ideas that could be facilitated both financially and cooperatively by HAWT. Right from the get go, HAWT's mandate was to be as administratively loose as possible. Rather than have one or two individuals carry the load, we wanted HAWT to be fueled and sustained by the same enthusiasm which brought about its existence. We promoted the spontaneous involvement and authority of each member.

In January of 2002, our first slide night featured Jim Norton, Barry Fairbairn, Marty Kaufman, and Robert Leatherbarrow. As acknowledgement to the forefathers of the Alberta Glass Movement, we asked Jim, Barry and Marty, three artists who laid the foundations for the dynamic, healthy community we have present-day. Of course, each has contributed through their own artistic practice, but perhaps more importantly, the Alberta Glass Movement has benefited greatly from the support and encouragement these three have continually shown other young and emerging glass artists. Robert's slides were a particular treat, both because his work is of such high quality, but also because many of us in the hot glass community had little awareness of what was happening in other areas of the glass world. The slide nights were intended to be not only educational but also to introduce us to each other. It was a wonderful opportunity to see a wide spectrum of glass art in our community. Plans for a follow-up salute to "the Ladies of Glass" met with conflicting schedules, but remains on the books. This past September, Julia Reimer organized a great evening which featured travel slides. Julia presented images of her own travels in Europe, and she was joined by Khethwen Woo and Brendan O'Grady who attended the GAS Conference in Amsterdam. Norman Faulkner rounded out the evening, and pretty much circumvented the globe several times with his collection of slides.

Quite to the surprise of many, HAWT has already had two group exhibitions, the first at Avens gallery in Canmore the spring of 2002, and the second at the Alberta Craft Council the following October. Through the efforts of Annette Gillon, HAWT had its "coming out" party in Canmore. Though timelines were incredibly tight, close to 30 artists participated. It was very satisfying to see not only the quality of work, but also the wide range of artists who took part. As well, it gave less established artists an opportunity to show off some pieces. I would risk saying that it was the first time in recent history that this many local glass artists have exhibited in one space. In October 2002, again with a fairly tight timeline, Carol Jane Campbell heard about an available space at the Alberta Craft Council and offered that HAWT would gladly organize a show. Once more, we had well over two dozen participants, and we were the subject of a wonderful article in their magazine.

There are on-going efforts to develop a presence on the net, and to continue to collect and assemble a comprehensive listing of glass artists in the region. Membership is simple. You merely give us a name, a number, and hopefully at some point, a little of your time and energy to keep this boat afloat. Time will tell if HAWT can survive. So far, every indication is that it will. I am forever grateful that I discovered glass as a creative medium. It has enabled me to become part of a community that never fails to impress me with its depth, diversity, and willingness to embrace a good time.