PONTIAC, Mich. (WXYZ) — At the Epiphany Glass Studio in Pontiac, art takes on a deeply personal meaning as owner and artist April Wagner transforms cremation ashes into stunning memorial glass sculptures.
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"Very interestingly, human or pet bone material is super similar in chemical makeup to the makeup of our glass formula," Wagner said. "So we're able to take cremation ash and incorporate it into the glass to create one-of-a-kind artworks."
The studio has been crafting art of various shapes and sizes for years, but Wagner recently took her craft in this meaningful direction. Each piece is handcrafted, with a small portion of ashes fused into molten glass, whether ordered online or made in person during special workshops.
Wagner calls the process "healing through beauty," and for many clients, it provides a way to channel grief into something lasting and beautiful.
"People tell me that it's great to have their loved one immortalized in a piece of art or to be able to view instead of just an urn with a bunch of ash in it, something colorful," Wagner said. "If it's the shape of a heart or a flower, or in the case of a pet, if it looks like your cat with the coloration, it just really keeps that memory alive."
For Lish Dorset, creating a memorial piece for her beloved cat Ronnie became part of her healing journey. Ronnie was the first cat Dorset adopted as an adult when she moved out on her own.
"She and I were together on our own for a couple of years, and then I met my husband, she met my husband, and we were just kind of a little trio for the longest time," Dorset said.
When Ronnie passed away at age 13 on Dorset's birthday, the loss hit particularly hard.
"I wasn't expecting to spend my birthday that way, and so it was really, really difficult," Dorset said.
As part of her healing process, Dorset created a glass piece in person at the studio.
"It does make me a little bit emotional when I see it, but it's just a little piece of her and it feels like a little bit of her spirit," Dorset said. "It's just kind of moving throughout the glass piece."
Studio Manager Shannon Teeple explains that the creation process takes about 15 minutes. The studio offers an entire line of memorial pieces available on their website in different styles and colors, and twice a year, provides a unique opportunity for clients to create pieces themselves with the artists.
The workshops bring together people from different walks of life, each with their own story to tell and person to celebrate.
"When I came for the workshop that day, everyone came from a different walk of life, had a different story to tell, and a different person to celebrate," Dorset said.
For Dorset, the experience provided the closure she needed.
"It really was. And now I get to see this every day. And it's just a happy reminder," she said.
From the heat of the furnace to the cool touch of glass, these creations serve as far more than décor – they're bridges between goodbye and forever, helping families hold onto memories in a tangible, beautiful way.
To learn more, visit the studio's website at this link.
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