Home > Artists > Kevin McKay

Bayshore Gifts in Glass

Bayshore Gifts in Glass has over 38 years of experience in producing glass art. The company was founded in the UK by Kevin McKay, who first honed his artistic skills as a musician in a popular band in London, later exploring his artistic ability further through glass sculpture.

Bayshore Gifts in Glass specializes in creating unique glass sculptures, including glass wedding cake tops, glass and crystal figurines, "name on a grain of rice" necklaces, and a wide selection of glass beads, glass jewelry, and custom made glass pieces in all shapes and sizes.

Kevin and his staff create each piece uniquely, specializing in custom orders.


Kevin Mckay

Kevin Mckay, owner of Bayshore Gifts, has been lampworking with glass since 1979 when he started his own company in England.

He grew this business over the years to a total of 8 shops and 30 staff, finally moving onto running a wholesale operation selling all over Europe. Shipping glass Eiffel towers to Paris and making custom orders for the English Prime Minister.

In 2000 he sold his UK business and moved to Winnipeg, Canada to be near his brother's family where he started up again, visiting Malls at Christmas and in summer retailing at his kiosk outside The Forks Market. Finally ending up in 2009 with a retail store inside The Forks Market.

With over 38 years of experience, Kevin specializes in creating custom glass pieces that are highly personalized and unique. Working from sketches and photographs of loved ones and pets, his ability to replicate and translate fine details into his glass work is quite remarkable. To check out a glass-blowing demonstration, head to the second floor of the Forks Market to watch the artist at work!


Maki Kawakubo

Maki graduated from the Kurashiki University of Science and The Arts, in Japan, in 2001. She attended conferences presented by the Glass Art Society in Seto, Japan and Brooklyn, New York, in 1998 and 2000. Maki's studied under many famous artists and worked as a glass blower as well as an instructor, in Japan.

Experienced, and with a well rounded artistic background, Maki joined Bayshore in 2009. Proficient in all aspects of glass work: Glass Blowing, Coldworking and Kilnwork, at Bayshore, Maki's focus began with her unique line of dichroic jewelry sets and coasters, and some lamp work. She has since concentrated on kilnwork and utilized her skills in Casting, Fusing, and Slumping and developed a diverse assortment of kitchenware such as plates, bowls, sushi sets as well as candle holders, business card holders, wall art and more.


Ari Loewen

Ari joined the team at Bayshore Gifts in Glass the summer of 2012, and has been lampworking at Bayshore for a little over two years under Kevin’s instruction. Having graduated from the University of Winnipeg with a double major in English and Theatre Design in 2013, she has since brought her multidisciplinary approach, artistic skills, and interest in the natural world to her glass-work, designing her own quirky, unusual lines such as eyeball necklaces and molecular jewelry. She enjoys the challenge of crafting incredibly detailed reptiles, amphibians and sea creatures out of glass, in addition to experimenting with colour and stylization as she develops and hones her flameworking technique.