Long Grass Studio & Workshop

Long Grass Studio & Workshop is a vibrant, independent art studio and workshop based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, owned and operated by the artist duo Pat and Juanita. The studio describes itself as a production studio where the two spend their days designing and creating puppets, masks, sculptures, fused glass art and glazed stoneware. Rather than a single-product maker, Long Grass operates across several craft disciplines at once, combining a puppet and mask building practice with kiln-fired ceramics and glass fusion work. The puppet and mask side of the business is a specialist service aimed at theatre companies, workshops and festivals. Juanita's journey into puppetry began in the early 2000s; originally a sculptor, she became a puppeteer and a full-time puppet and mask builder whose creations are known for a whimsical, playful quality and for giving each puppet and mask its own personality. The studio emphasizes quality and durability, and its puppet work draws on multiple mediums and construction techniques including design work and consulting, prototyping, casting, woodworking, jointing, sewing and needle felting. The ceramics and glass side of the studio is led by Pat, who was a creative person from the start and previously owned a 'paint your own pottery' studio shop before The Long Grass Studio was founded. He discovered a love for glass fusion while attending a pottery studio conference in Phoenix, Arizona, finding that glass made a great addition to his pottery painting studio. His passion for glazing stoneware grew over time and ultimately led to founding The Long Grass Studio and Workshop. All glazes used in the studio are non-toxic, dinnerware safe and lead free, and the studio produces stunning, unique clay art that is glazed and bisque-fired in its kiln. Beyond making and selling its own work, Long Grass Studio & Workshop is also an educational space. It offers classes in glass fusion and various facets of puppet and mask arts, and it shares class schedules online. Finished stoneware pieces are sold through the studio's online Etsy shop, while Instagram and a studio blog are used to share creations and stories from the studio. Because it is a working production studio, classes are offered only a few days a month: client projects can take up the whole studio space, and the team also makes puppets, glass fusion art and stoneware for themselves, for their Etsy shop and for clients when classes are not running. Private classes can also be booked. The studio is a small, owner-operated Canadian craft business rather than a large manufacturer, and it positions itself at the intersection of handmade art, custom fabrication for the performing arts, and hands-on craft education.

Long Grass Studio & Workshop is an independent art studio and workshop in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, owned and operated by Pat and Juanita. Its history is closely tied to the personal creative paths of its two founders, who brought different disciplines together under one roof. Juanita's route into the studio began with sculpture. Her journey into puppetry first started in the early 2000s and, in the years since, has continued to evolve and develop with each project. She moved from being a sculptor to becoming a puppeteer and then a full-time puppet and mask builder. Her creations are described as embodying a whimsical and playful quality, with each puppet and mask given its own personality, and with quality and durability treated as key components of every project. Because modern puppets demand multiple mediums and construction techniques, her practice spans design work and consulting, prototyping, casting, woodworking, jointing, sewing and needle felting, among other skills. Pat's path was different but complementary. He has always been a very creative person and, before The Long Grass Studio was founded, he owned a 'paint your own pottery' studio shop. He discovered his love for glass fusion while attending a pottery studio conference in Phoenix, Arizona, where he found that glass made a great addition to his pottery painting studio. Over time his love and passion for glazing stoneware grew, and this ultimately resulted in his founding The Long Grass Studio and Workshop. In the years that followed, Pat explored, created and perfected many different aspects of stoneware glazing; all glazes in the studio are non-toxic, dinnerware safe and lead free, and his passion for design and colour is evident in the work. Together, Pat and Juanita create art across puppets, masks, sculptures, glazed stoneware and fused glass. The studio operates as a production studio rather than a purely retail or teaching business: it takes on client projects for theatre companies, workshops and festivals, and it also makes puppets, glass fusion art and stoneware for itself, for its Etsy shop and for clients. Because client work can occupy the whole studio space, public classes are offered only a few days a month, and private classes can be booked. The studio shares its work and stories through Instagram and a blog, sells finished stoneware through its online Etsy shop, and maintains a website with sections for puppets, stoneware, glass fusion, classes, blog and FAQ. The business remains a small, owner-operated Canadian craft studio.

• Juanita's journey into puppetry begins in the early 2000s.

• Pat discovers glass fusion while attending a pottery studio conference in Phoenix, Arizona.

• Pat founds The Long Grass Studio and Workshop after his passion for glazing stoneware grows.

A small, independent, owner-operated production studio and teaching space at the intersection of handmade art, custom fabrication for the performing arts, and craft education.

• Puppets

  Custom-designed and built puppets for theatre companies, workshops and festivals.

• Masks

  Hand-built masks with a whimsical, playful quality and their own personalities.

• Sculptures

  Sculptural work rooted in Juanita's background as a sculptor.

• Fused glass art

  Art made by bonding different forms and colours of glass.

• Glazed stoneware

  Unique clay art glazed and bisque-fired in the studio kiln; glazes are non-toxic, dinnerware safe and lead free.

1. 1Long Grass Studio & Workshop – official websitelonggrassstudio.ca
2. 2Pat & Juanita – Long Grass Studio & Workshoplonggrassstudio.ca
3. 3Long Grass Studio & Workshop – Wikidatawikidata.org