Origins of the Art

The Hunt

Collecting what the water leaves behind, Barb Leeson reimagines glass, pottery, and stone as sculptural jewelry—art that carries both memory and new beginnings.

If you've purchased at an event, you'll have seen the colour code denoting where your item began its journey. Scroll down here to find yours!

	Port Burwell Provincial Park Port Burwell, ON For many years I lived in Norfolk county, near Lake Erie. It's my first love for beachcombing. Beach glass, pottery shards, driftwood, small fossils, cool rocks. It never disappoints when I walk its shores. One of my favorite beaches to comb is at the Port Burwell Provincial Park. At 2.5 sandy kilometers long it makes for a nice long stroll.
	Seaham, Country Durham, UK The northeast coast is a bucket-list destination for beachcombers. For centuries, both industrial and decorative factories discarded their glass into the North Sea, where time and tide transformed it. What was once waste returns as luminous fragments, worn smooth by water and stone. The glass I use from this region comes directly from local beachcombers who continue the tradition of finding these treasures. Photo credit to Kev Williams
	Puerto Rico Puerto Rico is a gem of an island, where nearly 500 kilometers of public shoreline invite exploration. The west is lush with tropical rainforest, the east alive with surf, and everywhere the sea shapes its gifts. Along the beaches between Rincón and Aguadilla, world-class waves meet world-class sea glass—nature’s artistry revealed piece by piece. For me, a day spent gathering glass while watching surfers ride the horizon is perfection.
	Cape Breton, Nova Scotia The Canadian Maritimes are rich with history, beauty, and shoreline treasures. Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia is a favorite of mine—its winding roads, welcoming people, and endless beaches make it unforgettable. Inverness, on the island’s west coast, is well known for beach glass, though I’ve also found remarkable pieces along the eastern shores near Sydney. Wherever you walk here, the sea offers its gifts.
	Upcycled Ceramics Plates and cups break—it’s gravity’s way, not ours. In my studio, these fragments find a second life. Their vintage patterns and colors carry the spirit of their era, transforming into jewelry with character, history, and charm.