The CCF/FCMA would like to offer our sincere congratulations to Susan Edgerley for winning the 2019 Saidye Bronfman Award! This top-level award is a touchpoint for excellence in fine craft and a recognition of our living national treasures. Susan is a well deserving addition to a roster of fine craft artists who have truly helped to build a recognized Canadian craft aesthetic, and a thriving visual arts community across the country.

As one of Canada’s leading glass artists, Susan Edgerley is renowned for her singular and poetic studio practice.  Since 1984, she has been creating large scale glass and mixed media sculptures and installations which have been exhibited in North America, as well as in Europe and Asia. Edgerley’s works are represented in museum collections including the Musée national des beaux arts du Québec, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the Canadian Museum of History, as well as in many prestigious corporate and private collections in Canada and the US.

“Susan’s artistic creations explore the subtle and sensitive avenues of life. They combine female sensibility, poetry, nature, vulnerability, time, and ingenuity with technical excellence, originality, and a deep understanding of art and of her craft.” — Christian Poulin, Director General, Espace VERRE (nominator)

The Saidye Bronfman Award, Canada’s national award for fine craft, recognizes the careers of the exceptional artists who have shaped this country’s craft sector. The $25,000 annual prize not only benefits the winning artists – it introduces Canadians to the best in fine craft through special activities, exhibitions, videos and more.

The award was created and continues to be funded by The Samuel and Saidye Bronfman Family Foundation through a $1.5 million endowment. The Canadian Museum of History is a valuable, longstanding partner, and each year acquires a work from the winning artist for its collection.

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Banner credits: Susan Edgerley, “B.r.e.e.z.e” (with artist), 2013, part of “Light and Shadow” series, kilnworked glass, handmade paper, metal, gold leaf, 1.7 m x 1.7 m x 16 cm. Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec collection. Photo: Michel Dubreuil