Amy Tessaro

Amy Tessaro, owner of Tessaro Stained Glass, is a Tahltan artist based in Haines Junction, Yukon. She specializes in stained glass and has innovated the use of Northwest Coast style formline in her work. Raised in Haida Gwaii, Amy’s work demonstrates her relationship with the natural world through the intricate application of carefully curated pieces of glass into striking images.

Mentored by her father, Bruce Tessaro, a stained glass artist of over 30 years, Amy developed her techniques through years of hands-on learning. Having amassed a large collection of glass in her home studio, Amy allows her materials to dictate the focus of her pieces. This process requires extreme patience and skill to achieve harmony between her subject and the available materials. Her richly saturated works reflect the respect she holds for the flora, fauna and lifestyle in the North.

Amy has been the recipient of the Advanced Artist Award from the Department of Tourism and Culture with the Yukon Government in 2018, and was twice awarded the Mentorship Award at the annual Adäka Cultural Festival in Whitehorse, Yukon in 2013 and 2016. Her work has been exhibited at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010 and at the Community Gallery at the Yukon Arts Centre. Amy is a recurring exhibitor at the Sea Alaska Celebration in Juneau, Alaska and was the Shakaat Artist in Residence in 2018. Her work can be found in private collections across Canada and the United States.