Los Angeles, CA – Alchemy Glass & Light—Ancient alchemists believed that, under the correct astrological conditions, lead could be “perfected” into gold. They tried to hasten this transformation by heating and refining the metal in a variety of chemical processes, most of which were kept secret. Fast forward to the present and surprisingly this historical method is still being practiced by Alchemy Glass & Light. Under the direction of artist Steve Weinstock, who has worked with glass for over 15 years, Alchemy is known for its vast collections of kaleidoscope-colored glass sinks. However, instead of trying to transform lead into gold, Weinstock uses precious metals and minerals, which he experiments with through different temperature progressions to create naturally-occurring, vivid color palettes. In an industry where most sinks are mass produced, Alchemy creates all of their functional and hand-crafted, Art for the BathTM from their Los Angeles-based facility.

“Our sinks have a very old world quality,” says Weinstock. “I don’t pinpoint them as modern because there is nothing precise about them. However, like an old master in a stark modern gallery, they can enliven the most contemporary of spaces.”

When experimenting with materials to use in his creations, he has even gone so far as to include paper money and metal scrub pads. While, no one can predict which colors will magically evolve during the manufacturing process, one can ensure that no two sinks will be exact replicas. Weinstock is constantly creating new prototypes in addition to his burgeoning collection, with most sinks taking up to ten days to craft.

The most recent creation—part of Weinstock’s signature Celestial Series—features thin slices of glass, which take him hours to artfully arrange within the glass panels before they are fused together to form the sink. This sink reminds him of Jasper Johns’ Cross Hatch Series. However, like all Alchemy sinks he hopes that in 10 years he will continue to see new things in them. “There is a very magical element inherent in creating these sinks,” says Weinstock. “I feel like I am throwing all of these different and yet individually, precious materials into a pot and while I have no control over their evolution, all properties come together for a completely unique work of art.”