David Royce

"I felt compelled to work in glass from the moment I first saw it. For me, glass presents a unique technical challenge because of its ability to transmit light. I want to create pieces that have elegant, well-made forms juxtaposed against loose, organic, and layered surface patterns."

David Royce strives to create works of art that combine form, function, and both visual and tactile texture. Colors and patterns reveal themselves through traditional glass engraving. The final piece is sandblasted and sealed to transmit only partial light, creating a soft, diffuse object. 

Royce begins each piece by layering multiple colors of glass to create complex and rich patterns. Creating the piece hot is only the beginning, and much of the design is realized when the piece is carved. The artist heavily cold works each piece, ensuring that while the main composition remains the same, each piece is unique. 

David Royce has been working with glass for eleven years. He started as an apprentice at the age of fifteen in a local glass shop. After graduating from college, the artist found Foci Glass Studios, a non-profit community glass shop located in Minneapolis, where he now teaches classes and makes his artwork. He currently serves on the board and has been honored to make glass art more accessible to the community.