Guy Cranston was born in 1953 in what’s now Cambridge, Ontario, but he grew up in Baie d’Urfé, a lively suburb on Montreal’s West Island. His childhood was full of the outdoors—near Lac St. Louis and the St. Lawrence River—with pools, rinks, fields, and all kinds of creative play all around him. Creativity ran in the family: his mum was an oil painter, and brother Toller was not only a well-known artist but also a legendary figure skater who took his sport to new heights.
Art was everywhere in his life. While a formal education was very important, Guy’s schooling was as much about learning in hands-on ways. A lot of his early skills, especially in woodworking, came from time spent with his dad at his workbench. Years later, he worked in large format printing, supplying branding overlays for retailers and international sporting events A real turning point came
on a painting trip to Zion Canyon in Utah with his wife. That trip sparked something new, and with his wife Sharon, acting both as mentor and critic, he dove into learning and traveling, soaking up artistic influences on both sides of
the ocean.
He’s entirely self-taught, pulling from his experiences both two and three dimensional to build a style that’s all his own. He carves wooden blocks into bird shapes and covers them with thousands of tiny, brightly colored electro-plated copper wire “feathers.” Each bird is completely unique, exploring the endless variety of colors and forms that nature offers. The process mixes careful planning starting with rough cuts on a bandsaw, then refining with grinders and sandpaper, and finishing with hand-inserted wire feathers. “I used to make birds with only wire but was never satisfied with the colour. A shape made with wire is largely transparent and the colour is muted. Carving a solid wooden base into which
coloured feathers are inserted, makes the piece dazzle with colour. No two birds are exactly alike, even within the same species. Every piece gets a final touch—an authentic metal bird band stamped with “Cranston,” is how Guy signs each piece.
This blend of playfulness and precision makes his work stand out and the work is unique. His birds aren’t about making a statement or stirring controversy—they simply bring joy. Guy shows his work in galleries across Canada, and his art was recently chosen to be used as diplomatic gifts by Canada’s Prime Minister Trudeau. Guy’s attitude towards his work is straightforward: his favorite piece is
always whatever he’s creating right now.
At home, he and his wife share their space with Lily, their Welsh Corgi, whose playful presence adds to their creative household. For Guy, his art is not a job, it’s a vital connection between the artist and whomever who sees his work. As he says, “I love what I do, and my work makes people genuinely smile. Without art in our lives, the world would be pretty sterile.” His birds, alive with colour and
personality, are proof of that belief.
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