Montpetit Studios is located in the spectacular Kootenay Region of south eastern British Columbia, just outside of Nelson in the Harrop-Procter area. The studio houses production and design facilities including kilns, a sand-blasting booth, cold working equipment, and layout & design areas. Established in 1994 in the Vancouver area as the Experimental Glass Group, the studio was initially part of a group effort. As the various parties prospered in their separate endeavors, expansion became inevitable. In 1998, David took over the entire space renaming the facility Montpetit Studios. In 2002, David moved the entire studio out to Procter. As many of the techniques offered by Montpetit Studios are unique, much of the equipment has been custom designed by David to meet the production needs.

The Studio's Philosophy

The key word in describing my style of work is innovation. My approach is derived not from academic training but is rather a more hands on approach garnered from a lifetime of exposure to technology and industry. I extrapolate from approaches and disciplines realized from tis background and retool according to the necessities dictated by my chosen medium - glass. I have chosen glass despite the technical difficulties inherant in the material partially because of the challenge and also in response to the satisfaction possible in a finely crafted piece. I enjoy having others respond positively to my efforts. I am curious to see if others see what I see in these pieces. I attempt to contradict the fragile and in-flexible nature of glass by working aggressively, bending and carving the panels of glass as the subject matter warrants. In addition, I tend to favor subject matter that contrasts with the nature of glass, be it the ancient and beautiful motifs of the people of the Pacific Northwest, the bulk and splendor of whales or the decidedly nontransparent mass of a mountain- To capture the essence of the subject despite an intrinsically sterile material.