Biography/Artist Statement

Charles Karadimos began working with stained glass in 1975 and made the transition exclusively to building glass kaleidoscopes in 1980. In the early days of the kaleidoscope renaissance, his main focus was concerned with creating crisp, vibrant, interior images and exploring and developing mirror systems with crystal clear optics that would produce rich, ever-changing patterns. And he has worked very hard towards mastering the development of the perfect kaleidoscope image. For without the image, it just isn't a kaleidoscope. Charles has designed and built thousands of kaleidoscopes, making each part of every scope by hand. There are no machined parts. Every piece -- down to the smallest shard of glass in the object chamber -- is hand worked and individually selected. All of his scopes feature a multidimensional slumped glass exterior, very nice to hold or display. Every piece is an original, signed, and numbered work of art. Charles' work is exhibited in many galleries, museums and private collections throughout the world. His work is featured in many books and publications and he is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Brewster Award for Creative Ingenuity. From November 2003 until January 2013 he served as one of the Directors of the Brewster Kaleidoscope Society, the international organization of kaleidoscope enthusiasts.