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Amethyst Sun God Pendant

Regular price$645.00 CAD Sale price
Amethyst Sun God Pendant
by Thomas McPhee Sculptor
32mm x 51mm x 18mm

As a master of classical realism, Salt Spring Island's Thomas McPhee combines both figurative and stylized elements in his work that often involves mythological themes and archetypes. The carvings range from small jewelry sized pieces to larger sculptures.

These miniature crystal sculptures were kiln cast in the centuries old technique first used by the ancient Egyptians 5000 years ago to create gems for the Pharaohs.  This method was lost for centuries until it was rediscovered by French Artists in the late 19th Century.

Each piece is individually created at Thomas McPhee's studio on Salt Spring Island, BC.

Pâte de verre is a formula for cast lead crystal glass developed among ancient classical societies and revived by French decorative arts like Galle and Tiffany at the turn of the 20th Century. We have developed our own process down to the point of being able to imitate original material. Some cast pieces resemble gem stones such as amethyst, sapphire, tourmaline or emerald. It can also look like jade or agate with the opaque coloured glass.

'Avant garde art glass'

“I want my carvings to feel as though they’ve always existed—only now revealed.”

Sculptor Thomas McPhee

Thomas McPhee is a Canadian sculptor renowned for his masterful gemstone carvings and kiln-cast glass sculptures. Largely self-taught, he refined his skills by studying European museum collections and developing his own techniques in the early 1980s. Working in precious and semi-precious gems, McPhee combines classical realism with mythic and archetypal themes, creating small-scale works collected worldwide.

Artist Statement

“The source of my inspiration in using gemstones as a primary vehicle for expression lies in their intrinsic qualities—permanence, beauty, purity, and inner light. These materials allow me to pursue a highly refined perfection of form, creating objects that feel timeless rather than transient. Whether working in precious stones or cast glass, I aim to carve sculptures that transcend the here and now and suggest a hopeful sense of the eternal.”

Thomas McPhee

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