Rick Oswald has been in the art glass business creating pieces in leaded, etched, and carved glass since 1977. He apprenticed in a local studio for five years, which did a large volume of leaded glass. This served as a good place to learn the trade. At that time people were just starting to utilize etched (sandblasted) glass in place of the more traditional leaded glass. In 1983 he founded Cutting Edge Glass Studio, which is located in Kirkland, Washington. Rick's work is found in homes, businesses and restaurants throughout the northwest. While at the University of Washington he studied Northwest Indian Art under Bill Holm, and took studio classes from local artist Marvin Oliver. Using his own designs, he made a replica of a Northwest Coast Indian bentwood chest out of etched glass, entered it in the Bellevue Arts and Crafts fair and won two awards! Another piece inspired by the Northwest coast style is a glass sculpture rendition of the family schnauzer in the style of Haida argillite carvings from the nineteenth century and was a gift to his wife. Rick is a native of the Seattle area.