An accomplished and internationally awarded Oregon pastel artist, Jan Maitland discovered a new artistic calling in the centuries-old technique of Verre Églomisé—the art of gilding and painting on the reverse side of glass. During a visit to master glass artist Marco Toso Borella in Murano, Italy, she was captivated by his luminous gilded glass pieces and Klimt-inspired motifs. “I knew immediately that I had to explore this exciting medium,” she recalls. Eager to learn, Jan studied water gilding in San Francisco with renowned gilder Frances Federer, mastering the delicate balance between painting and the precise craftsmanship of working with precious metal leaf. Her exploration evolved into a distinctive body of work that combines fine art and fine craft—incorporating gold, silver, and other metal leaf into her reverse-painted glass and her unique line of gilded stone jewelry. Jan’s work merges elegance, texture, and luminosity. Her Verre Églomisé pieces—ranging from bowls and tabletops to wall art and “glass jewelry”—reflect both artistic sophistication and timeless beauty. Her gilded stone jewelry and custom commissions for weddings, anniversaries, and special occasions extend her artistry into the realm of wearable fine art. A lifelong painter and pastel artist, Maitland continues to create and exhibit throughout Oregon, celebrating the interplay of light, reflection, and design in every piece. “Whether it’s a painting or a gilded glass bowl,” she says, “each work invites you to experience art as both beauty and illumination.”