Glass Artist – Galen Sawatzky

By
HeadQuest

Galen Sawatzky
@goolenglass

Some glass artists are known for a specific style. Galen Sawatzky likes to mix and match the different techniques that he’s perfected in more than fifteen years at the torch to create the most wildly imaginative pieces possible.

Originally from Vancouver, British Columbia, Galen, 29, started blowing glass when he was only twelve, learning from sister who lived in the states and clued him in to the trends and new techniques within the pipe making community. Now in Quebec, a province located in eastern Canada, Galen is stirring up the local scene and quickly becoming a name sought by collectors in the Lower 48.

Many times, Galen will spend weeks doing prep work, such as creating a pile of millis, and then with the structure of the piece in mind, whether a recycler or straight tube, he’ll fire up the torch and just let things evolve as they will.

“Glass is a diverse and dynamic material to work with,” Galen says, “. . .there are so many possibilities.”

Galen’s pieces have a psychedelic feel, and it’s no coincidence that he draws inspiration from the highs of festival life. “I definitely like to do trippy art,” he says, “so I try to incorporate a lot of my ‘inner vision’ into the work.”

Of course, a piece can be crazy-ass-eye-catching, but if you can’t smoke out of it, it’s nothing more than a cool paperweight. “My main draw in the beginning was more towards the artistic side and making something fun to look at, but I’m a smoker and I understand the importance of functionality,” Galen says. “It’s always challenging, but it’s also humbling to be able to find that center between art and function.”

Not only do Galen’s pieces works well, but they’re also structurally sound, weighing up to a few pounds. He’s careful to ensure that the design can stand on its own and that all the attachments are secure. “All of the pieces have extra connectors for added support – it’s like building a bridge and how it’s intertwined together to create a really tall structure,” Galen says.

“I really like to get into the details – especially hidden details like stashing millis in opals and places where people won’t initially notice them,” Galen adds. “I love being able to get lost in a piece – from a distance, you see the main structure of a piece, but the closer you get, the smaller and smaller details you see.”

Galen Sawatzky • @goolenglass

 

Recent Stories

Recent Articles

POS banner
By
Matt Weeks
Don’t Fear the Creeper: How to Maximize POS Displays
Common business advice tends to view the 80:20 rule simplistically. Focus on the 80% of your store that drives profit, it says. Ignore the rest. That’s fine for the average folks. But what about those who want to boost the other 20%?
Decore banner
By
Karen Maina
Is Store Decor Important? 
Before you've said a word, your shop is selling. The customer hasn’t touched a single product, and your staff hasn't even said hello. Your decor and layout have already done the talking, either pulling people in or pushing them away.
ATM banner
By
Jimmy Wohl
Versatile and Affordable ATM and POS Services
As VP of Operations at ATM Wholesaler and Elite Merchant Services, he’s picked up the baton from his father and CEO, Norman Koza, who passed it to him after founding this successful company over 25 years ago.
WIC Banner
By
Emily Long
Katie Motta – CEO at Jade Stone & Alluring Media Co.
2026-08-05_10-11-53
By
Jimmy Wohl
Fragile Markets Need Sturdy Security
You’ve chosen to work in a gray area. You sell products that contain cannabis or cannabis-adjacent substances as well as accessories that can be used to consume it. And while that area has become less gray—you can see rays of sunlight peeking through—the skies are still cloudy. THC remains a Schedule 1 substance, even as medical marijuana has migrated to Schedule 3.
2026-07-30_23-43-05
By
Emily Long
What Retailers Wish They Knew When They Opened Their First Shop
Running a cannabis business is notoriously complicated. For dispensaries, complex compliance burdens permeate every facet of the business, from zoning and licensing to marketing and payments. Whether you’ve been in the cannabis space for mere months or multiple decades, you’ve likely run into drawn-out approval processes, supply chain headaches, or constantly changing regulation that makes compliance challenging, not to mention the other micro and macroeconomic factors that plague all small business owners.
3
By
Joe Reefer
Behind the Scenes: Not Ya Son’s Weed
Blending traditional values with modernized, energetic branding, Not Ya Son’s Weed falls somewhere between the cannabis days of yore and today’s recreational cannabis boom. Not Ya Son’s Weed offers a variety of products—including pre-rolls, exotic flower, and gummies—that provide much-needed relief without being too overbearing.
2026-07-30_20-13-55
By
Matt Weeks
Hawaiian Punch: One man’s fight to keep hemp legal
The officials came for Lance Alyas once before. In 2023, they caught him in a sting, seized his merchandise, and tossed him in jail. But just seven days later, after he invoked Hawaii's version of a Freedom of Information Act request, the whole case fell apart. Alyas was released without bail, allowed to simply walk out the door. Now, he’s advocating for freedom from Hawaii’s state officials once again. Only this time, it’s not just his own freedom. As the owner of Oahu’s top-rated smoke shops, he’s fighting for everyone’s right to sell hemp products in the Aloha State.