I've known De Carter-Ray for over 30 years and have collaborated with her on several projects. (My focus is stained glass whereas De excels at carved and etched glass.) De is a very talented artist who puts her heart and soul into her designs and execution. She has a unique and graceful style and never hesitates to use the finest materials for her commissions. I refer clients to De when someone comes in needing her specialty and have always received positive feedback. I'll continue to collaborate with her until they pry my glass cutter out of my cold dead hands. :) read more

We commissioned De of Classical Glass Studios to "Save Our Glass," which was a piece of leaded glass from our front door that we really cherished. It was a very small job for her, but important to us. Not only did she "Save Our Glass," but she transformed it into a beautiful piece of art. It now sits in our atrium window. As an added attraction, at around 4:00PM it casts many wonderful rainbows around our Great Room. We could not have asked for a lovelier addition to our home. Many Thanks to De and Jon (husband, who made the gorgeous wood frame). Mike and Diane Baiocchi read more

I had a very positive experience with De and Jo and classical glass studios. De is incredibly creative and professional, which I find rare now a days in the art world. Very reliable and beautiful work, check out her website for some of her work www.classicalglassstudios.com read more

Classical Glass Studios - Art Galleries Near Me

My husband and I first engaged De Carter and Classical Glass Studios in November 2002 to etch an art deco pattern into a 5 ft. X 7 ft. glass wall for the remodel of the master bath shower. We had researched and considered many different art deco designs for the glass wall, and we were firmly settled on a design by Edgar Brandt (famed art deco designer of the 1930's). We knew exactly what we wanted and gave De Carter several photographs of the design and asked that she duplicate it in etched glass. With the photographs of the actual design we were absolutely sure that we had a great design. A little over a week later, we met with De again, and she presented several sketches of alternative designs to our Edgar Brandt design. We were astonished at how far we had missed the mark - especially given our extensive research on alternative designs. Almost with the first sketch, we recognized that our/Edgar Brandt's concept was much too busy and, for a shower wall, it would be overwhelming - especially first thing in the morning! De's designs maintained the basic concept we had given her, but dramatically pared it down eliminating the busy feel while maintaining the essence of Edgar Brandt. We have enjoyed De's concept for the etched shower wall for almost 14 years, and I am eternally grateful that she gave us alternatives to the original concept that we were sooooo certain about. Had we insisted on the original design, I'm sure it would have been replaced within a year, and a 5ft. X 7ft. Starlight Crystal shower wall isn't cheap! In 2007 we began the remodel of the kitchen and family room. We were very excited to work with De again, and paid her to provide concepts and designs for a modernist style glass kitchen back-splash that was 5 ft. above the counter top and 11 ft. wide. De presented several design concepts which were absolutely stunning. They were stunning until the cabinets were overlaid on the design, and then the homogeneity or flow of the design went flat. She made full size 5 ft. X 11 ft. drawings because she knew we would not appreciate how the cabinets make the designs fall apart if we used smaller drawings. She helped us in selecting large format glass tiles from Italy that we have enjoyed for over 8 years. Once again, had we constructed what we thought we knew so well, we would have been very unhappy. Thanks to De's insights and alternative proposals, we didn't make a catastrophic mistake. Paying her for alternative designs - that we didn't build - was money well spent. She is one of the few that consistently exceed expectations. She is simply a joy to work with. Over the years, we have purchased several individual art pieces from De, and these pieces are the major focal points in our home décor. Our most recent purchase is a deep carved edge lit piece that features orchids. In addition to the artful carving, it functions as an excellent night light for the kitchen and family room. read more

Classical Glass Studios - Art Galleries Near Me

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I am a professional photographer and I've photographed many of De's beautiful designs as well as her working on them. Some of the work I have photographed are very large and up to 7 feet in width. All her designs are amazing. William Hazard Photography Extreme http://photographyextreme.com read more

Sadly, I had a TERRIBLE experience with De and Classical Glass Studios. I found her to be UNETHICAL and DISHONEST. After seeing an ETCHED door on her web-site and telling her that I'd like one just like it, De asked me to send her a check for $500 as a deposit . Upon receipt, she told me that I was 2nd in her "Q". 8 weeks later, after telling me that her previous project had "delays" and that she was "tired" and needed to take some time to "recoup', she finally met with me. De said that she wanted to create something more unique for my house. 5 WEEKS later she sent me some ideas and wanted to add lead dividers and architectural glass. I told her quite clearly that I wanted etched glass. 3 MONTHS LATER, she returned to my house (angry and unpleasant) with samples of all the kinds of glass that I'd previously told her I was not interested in. When I asked her if she remembered that I did not like that kind of glass and had no interest in using it, she said that she did remember but didn't believe that I meant it. When I told that I indeed had meant it, she informed me that she no longer want to work on my door and would be KEEPING my $500 deposit for her "time" & "sketches". Although some were lovely, they ALL involved stained glass and lead dividers, which I'd stated many times I DID NOT WANT. De said that NONE of designs were suitable for etching and etched glass is what I'd asked for! She then told me that she'd completed other jobs that came in AFTER mine and had another project that she was eager to get started on. So...for 6 MONTHS, De strung me along, wasted my time, and pocketed my $500. In the end I think she only wanted to please herself. In my 30+ years of being a homeowner, it is the only negative experience that I've ever had with anyone who I have contacted to work on my home. And it was a NIGHTMARE... Unless you want to waste your time, get ripped-off, and be abused, I suggest that you research other alternatives! read more

Walter G. I rarely write reviews but when someone "hits it out of the park", I must. De Carter-Ray is not only a talented artist but a great listener. and someone who had to get it "right". I must confess to being a perfectionist and De was more than up for the challenge. Every day when I look at my etched glass doors I admire their beauty and my good fortune to be its owner. read more

De is an accomplished glass artist with many years of experience. As a neighbor next door I have known de since 1998 and never thought I would need her professional assistance. De has carved glass walls for some of the most beautiful homes in the Newport Beach area and why would I need her talent? Time has a habit of changing things. De crafted a beautiful deeply carved glass trivet as a gift and it was then I felt the dedication, discipline and patience of her years of experience. This was a very heavy, thick round substantial piece of glass with polished edges and layers of deeply carved initials. Well time and appreciation for her art came into play when I needed an entrance "sign" and thought of using the trivet format with LEDs to light her artwork and my house front door foyer. Without reservation De exceeded my expectations. We talked on our iPhones and designed the "trivet" in a matter of minutes. (I now live in Hawaii and De knew we could design this "on the phone!") The results have been one of the delights I experience everyday when I look at and appreciate the creativity De expressed lighting up my front door! A couple of years later I saw the beauty and picked up a vintage piece of cut stained glass artwork that was destined for the trash. There was a cracked panel of frosted glass that always stood out I wished could be fixed. Well guess who found the exact type/style of glass and not only replaced it perfectly but put her creative touch and enhanced the quality of the art and the joy of owning it. De exceeded my expectations and gave me the gift of appreciation and joy to experience everyday. The only person I would ever call for classical glass help would be De. read more

I have been a Builder for the last 45 years. I have known De for the past 25 years and have many pieces that she has designed and completed with absolutely no issues. To understand the art that De creates is to understand the gift of a painter and the strength and endurance of a welder to etch and carve thick and heavy glass with such precision with the use of sand and high pressure air in a booth behind a hot and sweaty leather suit and dust covered air mask. For those that only appreciate the beautiful and exquisite quality of the finish pieces she creates only know the smallest part of the process and have no idea of the difficult and truly laborious symphony that she must go through to complete the Art to the finish part of De's craft. I have been blessed to have crossed her path and I have recommended her to all of my friends and colleagues in the past and will continue into the future. God Bless you De. read more