About
Exploring memory, cultural heritage, and the preservation of specialized artistic techniques through contemporary making.

Carol Leon is a multidisciplinary artist based in Ontario, Canada, working across sandblasted glass, painting, ceramics, and collaborative craft.
For more than 27 years, Carol has worked in the decorative glass industry through Blast Design Ltd., specializing in carving, etching, and sandblasting. She has led residential, commercial, and custom fabrication projects, directing the creation of hundreds of architectural and decorative glass works across Canada and internationally. This experience has given her a deep understanding of glass, its technical possibilities, and the craftsmanship required to transform it.
Sandblasted glass is now one of the central mediums in her artistic practice. Traditionally associated with architectural and decorative applications, she approaches it as a contemporary art form, exploring texture, translucency, layering, and depth beyond its conventional use. Her work also supports the preservation and continuation of a highly specialized craft that is rarely taught through formal arts education.
Born in Guatemala, Carol grew up surrounded by generations of makers and artists. Her grandfather painted murals, her mother shared a love of drawing and painting, and her great-grandfather, Matias, was connected to a family tradition of pottery. These early influences shaped her appreciation for craftsmanship, artistic expression, and the stories carried through handmade objects.
Her practice brings together technical knowledge, material experimentation, and artistic exploration. Some projects are inspired by Guatemalan culture and artisanal traditions, while others explore abstraction, landscape, and the expressive possibilities of different materials.
Her practice continues to grow through upcoming exhibitions, cultural initiatives, and multidisciplinary collaborations.

A mural painted by my grandfather in Guatemala, one of my earliest memories of art and storytelling through walls and surfaces.

Years later, I reinterpreted the mural through a small scale sandblasted glass piece.