About Us
ABOUT the author
Pamela Petten
Pamela Petten is not a glass expert, but loves Canadian art glass. She also enjoys interacting with interesting people and taking on challenging tasks, so working long-distance with Angelo Rossi to document the story of his career as a glassblowing maestro was the perfect project. As a past teacher, school principal, government director and human resources professional, she has written her share of reports, and as a columnist and sometimes-reporter for an Anglophone community newspaper in the Montreal area, she’s practiced scrounging for primary-source information and making it interesting to read.
“I work with fire. Not numbers.” – Angelo Rossi
“From Fire to Form: The Life and Work of Angelo Rossi, Master Glassblower” by Pamela Petten is the definitive biography of Angelo Rossi, glass artist. This compelling Canadian glass glass‑studio biography explores the passionate and tumultuous journey of Angelo Rossi, whose devotion to the art of molten glass brought him both international recognition and personal vulnerability. It also reveals the behind the scenes of glassblowing artist’s career. The man for whom glass holds no secrets: “You have to be one with the glass.”
This history of Canadian art glass and glassblowing follows Rossi’s travels from his birthplace in Burano. It continues through cities like Montreal, Cornwall, Niagara Falls, and Miami. The biography of Angelo Rossi, a glass artist, highlights the challenges his artisan career faced. His artistic integrity and focus on glassmaking often left him exposed to betrayal and loss in the business world. It’s the story of a remarkable journey from Burano to Niagara Falls for a glass artist.
Creativity That Lit Up Cornwall
Rossi Artistic Glass brought sparkle to the community. It created dazzling corporate gifts, fueled local pride, and supported hometown teams and events. Angelo’s artistry turned heads with a jet-setting glass kangaroo for Australian diplomats and sleek planes for the Snowbirds. He crafted a showstopping Lancaster bomber for the Minister of National Defence. A magical Mickey Mouse sculpture was made for Cornwall’s own Ryan Gosling, celebrating his Disney Mouseketeer debut. Every piece of molten glass Art Creations by Angelo Rossi was a testament to Angelo’s flair for turning imagination into unforgettable art.
UNESCO Honors Glassblowing: Celebrating a Timeless Craft and Its Masters
Glassblowing was recently inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Passed down for generations, this craft’s recognition pays tribute to its technique and practitioners.
In “From Fire to Form,” Pamela Petten’s account is both a tribute to Rossi’s molten glass art and a reflection on the costs of dedication in a world driven by commerce. This story captures the heart of Canadian glass artistry and a master’s enduring legacy.