A Foothills artist has received praise with the Alberta Foundation of Fine Arts.

Black Diamond's Julia Reimer has had her glass piece "cocoon" join the AFA's permanent collection. Reimer created the glass piece called "cocoon" in 2012 during an artist residency in Australia.

Reimer says having her work in the AFA is a real pat on the back.

"It's kind of like an elliptically shaped piece of glass that has this thin thread of glass spun around it," she says. "It sparkles, it's just brilliant and it brings out all those lovely qualities of glass and so the piece I think is really beautiful."

According to Reimer the piece is about shapes in nature blooming with life.

Reimer's piece "Cocoon". (Photo Courtesy: Firebrand)

She says glass is a unique medium to work with.

"Working with molten glass is just facinating and fun," Reimer says. "People will come and take classes in our studio and when they come I say 'this is like nothing you've ever done before, you're playing with a liquid, you're shaping a liquid into a solid' and that's something that we never get to do, and then you also get to play with fire a little bit too."

Reimer and fellow artist and partner Tyler Rock own Firebrand Glass Studio in Black Diamond where they'll be hosting their annual Christmas Open House. There will be glassblowing demonstrations and Reimer's artwork will be on display.

The openhouse takes place on Dec. 5.