Archives: Artists

I am fascinated by the nature of glass, and its manipulation using both hot glass techniques and kiln forming. My current research focuses on uniting glassblowing and ladle casting to create intriguing spaces within cast glass.

Heike’s sculptures explore the interaction of colour, form and light in glass solids. Heike aims to make forms capable of transformation, ideally in several different ways. Her works can change depending on the viewing angle, when set into motion, and in different light conditions. Her current series of work is based on a concept called D-form: A three-dimensional form is created by joining the edges of two flat shapes with the same perimeter length. Outcomes are wildly different depending on the point at which the shapes are joined. The resulting abstract sculptures do not have a base, and can be displayed in different orientations.

As a Cuidiu (Irish Childbirth Trust) Breastfeeding Counsellor, I have combined my passion for supporting women during their birth and lactation journey.
I began infusing human milk in glass in 2017 and have since developed the technique.
In May 2019 “Inspired” exhibition at London Glassblowing Gallery saw my Human Milk Infused Glass Breasts on display.
August 2019 the breasts went to the Nightingale Ward at Belfast City Hospital
October 2019 through crowdfunding I raised the funds to build my own glass hotshop.
In March 2020 (right before Covid 19 Lockdown) myself and my two young children moved to Derry in Northern Ireland, which is my hometown, to start my new adventures in glass.

My current work explores flow patterns in glass and has been developed during my Masters Degree. Glass is a fascinating material with unique properties. I approach my work in a methodical and scientific way to push these properties to the full. By learning about and controlling the viscosity of glass, I have been able to create novel and intriguing patterns. These patterns of flow were initially inspired by blood flow in the human body but have move beyond this to inform flow in a variety of contexts both in the natural world and human psychology. I want to find beauty in the finished piece, and I want to invoke engagement with the viewer.

My work consists of both stained glass and fused glass pieces.Working with fused glass is like alchemy – you never quite know what will happen in the kiln and the effect leaded glass can have on a room is just magical, almost spiritual.

I am fascinated by the contrasts and harmonies generated by simply placing different colours side by side. My ColourWave series of designs explore blending of colours using groups of contrasting and harmonising coloured strands of glass. I use up to 500 strands placed in order by hand on a base layer of glass and then fuse them together in a kiln. The blending process I use generates smoothly varying colours but at the same time they also show intricate colour detail close up.

I completed my PhD research in 2021 and am now building on this research to create a new body of work which explore optical perception further.
In addition to my sculptural work I am currently working on two annual bespoke corporate award commissions, preparing information for teaching at Bild-Werk Franeau, Germany next Summer, and writing a paper to present at the GAS Conference 2024, in Berlin.