By Phyllis Galowitz

As I stepped up to the door of Atelier Aubergine to talk to Suzanne, I wasn’t sure what to expect—the steps, of course, were purple, eggplant color, and I  knew from my High School French that aubergine is eggplant  and atelier is studio, but what does Eggplant Studio mean? The French do say everything backwards!

Suzanne is from Quebec and her first language is French. She met Peter Calvert, her husband, who is also an artist and the son of Buffy and George, while they were studying at Banff Center for the Arts in Alberta, Canada, in 1987. She spoke English with a charming accent, as she described to me, in detail, the kinds of art that she does. There are examples of her printmaking on the walls but her love is designing and making stained glass windows and mosaics. The play of light on different types of glass is fascinating and she constantly studies how the colors and glass type interact with a design.

The walls of the atelier tastefully display the many types of work she has available for sale, but she often starts by having a conversation with a client, learning about their lifestyle, colors that they especially like and what they might have in mind. Then she gives all of her attention to the individually designed piece, making the patterns for each part of the design and only then, cutting the glass. There are small items on the display tables that she has made for sale but most of her work is by commission and individually designed for each customer.

Stop in to Atelier Aubergine when the flag is waving “OPEN.” You’ll enjoy meeting Suzanne and learning about the wonderful kind of art she is bringing to Andes. I hope that she and Peter will remain part of our community for a very long time.

You might also meet Suzanne at the Andes Roundtable on a Wednesday evening or at our library where she participates in our monthly book discussions (LitWits). You might also look closely at her website: www.suzannefortin.com, but wherever you meet her and for whatever reason, you will be charmed by her warm, outgoing personality and I’m certain that you’ll be intrigued by her work! Most of her time is spent creating her pieces when the studio is closed, but Saturday is a sure time that the OPEN flag will be waving. I would suggest visiting the studio for that very special gift for a new baby or wedding present or for something you’ve been longing to treat yourself to that will become an heirloom in generations to come!~