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A window into contemporary glass in Southern Africa

South African glass artists and educators marked the United Nations’ International Year of Glass through a series of exhibitions and symposia throughout 2022. These events showcased the history and current status of glass practice in the country. Here the organising committee detail how they put glass at the forefront during this exciting year.

A lot of work and energy flowed into making glass more visible around the globe during the United Nations’ International Year of Glass in 2022, and Southern Africa was no exception!

‘Wing’ by Barbara Ewing.

Although glass heritage is not as prominent in Southern Africa, compared to Europe and the US, hundreds of hours were invested to showcase contemporary glass through the year. Artists, industry and academia came together, with the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) taking centre stage. This institution sits at the apex of the Southern African creative glass industry and is where the past, present and future converge. It is the only tertiary institution in sub-Saharan Africa offering training in glass as a creative medium.

‘Mycelium’ by Fanus Boshoff.

Fired Up!

Several exhibitions were held in South Africa to promote our diverse glass practices. Of these the group exhibition ‘Fired Up! – Celebrating Southern African Glass Art’, was the most significant. It was held at the Pretoria Art Museum and curated by glass artist Lothar Böttcher.

The Fired Up! exhibition wove a thread from the beginning of glassmaking in the Southern African region through to present day practices by renowned contemporary glass artists. WITS University Origins Centre highlighted the early history of glass in Southern Africa, revealing how glass beads produced in the first furnaces on the tip of Africa were used as currency in continental trade routes. Some of the beads exhibited included the original moulds used during manufacture, excavated from the ancient Iron Age city of Mapungubwe.

‘Umphakatsi (Royal Kraal)’ by James Magagula.

Fired Up! Also chronicled the stories of pioneers and torchbearers in the hand-made glass industry of Southern Africa. Top contemporary glass artists exhibiting were: Fanus Boshoff, Lothar Böttcher, Anslem Croze (Kitengela Glass, Kenya), Barbara Ewing, Caitlin Greenberg, Martli Jansen van Rensburg, James Magagula (Ngwenya Glass, Eswatini), Ryan Manuel, Sue Meyer, Sibusiso Mhlanga (Ngwenya Glass, Eswatini), Stephen Mofokeng, Kgotso Pati, David Reade, Nicole Rowe, Guido van Besouw, and Retief van Wyk.

The full, 68-page Fired Up! catalogue can be viewed here.

‘Project Silica’ by Nicole Rowe.

In addition, Fired Up! hosted a Glass Symposium at TUT, with invited guest lecturers discussing topics including archaeology and ancient trade routes, industrial glass manufacture, glass in African architecture, plus sustainable glass and the circular economy. The full presentation video can be viewed here: Fired Up! Glass Symposium

Next generation

The ‘Next Generation’ exhibition, held at the Viewing Room Art Gallery, Pretoria, South Africa, consisted of glass works by students, lecturers and alumni from TUT’s Faculty of Arts and Design. Curated by Martli Jansen van Rensburg and Caitlin Greenberg, it brought the work of many diverse artists together in an exceptional show. This allowed students to exhibit alongside established names, affording a broad spectrum of glass makers an opportunity to mingle and exchange ideas. Students had the opportunity to sell their works to collectors, thus encouraging their passion towards glass as a medium and strengthening their trajectory in the glass-art industry.

‘Forgiving Rocks – Scars’ by Martli Jansen van Resnburg.

The TUT Faculty Arts and Design, department of Fine and Studio Arts’ glass studio affords students the opportunity to learn about glass through a variety of techniques; it has a furnace and hot shop, several kilns for warm glass, fusing and casting glass, flame work, and a comprehensive cold shop.

‘Glacier Vases’ by David Reade.

Glass became an official elective subject within the former Pretoria Tecknikon, Fine and Applied Art diploma in 1996 through the efforts of Ian Redelinghuys (head of the Fine Art Department) and Retief van Wyk (lecturer). This was made possible with the help of Wolverhampton University and glass artist, David Reade. David Reade trained under Michael Harris on the Isle of Wight in the UK in the 1970s, moving to South Africa in 1984. The glass studio has been run by former alumna, Caitlin Greenberg, since 2019.

‘Unspoken Thoughts’ by Caitlin Greenberg.

More glass…

Several smaller events took place in the International Year of Glass, too. For example, Lothar Böttcher’s solo exhibition, ‘Precious Beasts’, opened at Ebony Curated in Franschhoek, Western Cape. Years of dedication as a cold worker and protagonist for glass as a medium of art culminated in this exquisite collection of carved, cut and polished figurines and sculptures.

‘Piece of cake’ by Lothar Böttcher.

Martli Jansen van Rensburg’s solo exhibition ‘Ruach’ at Terra Contemporary, Pretoria explored her personal journey as an artist, touching on themes of memories and loss. Read more about this exhibition here.

In addition, the Melrose House Museum in Pretoria exhibited its magnificent collection of Victorian glass, offering a window into colonial influences on South African culture.

The future of glass in Southern Africa

Thanks to the events held during the year of glass, a solid foundation has been laid. Artists, and an interested public, were able to explore the possibilities of glass. New networks were established, especially between TUT and Ngwenya Glass. Master blowers Sibusiso Mhlanga and James Magagula shared their knowledge with the students and offered collaborative workshops with other artists.

Sibusiso Mhlanga and James Magagula of Ngwenya Glass demonstrating their glass skills at TUT.

These ground-breaking events have the potential to foster a new generation of glassmakers and glass lovers. Artists saw the potential of joining hands, to strengthen interdisciplinary networks, share skills and knowledge.

In our current tumultuous world, the business of glass as an art, and creative endeavour, are experiencing difficult times. The foundation built during the International Year of Glass and the energy of those events must be channelled to support an environment where glass can flourish as an equitable and sustainable expression of our times.

Fired Up! and its associated events were made possible through funding from the International Year of Glass as well as the unwavering support and work of the Fired Up! committee, consisting of Lothar Böttcher (artist and curator), Chas Prettejohn (Ngwenya Glass, Eswatini), Caitlin Greenberg (TUT Glass Department) and Martli Jansen van Rensburg (artist).

The Fired Up! team (left to right): Chas Prettejohn, Martli Jansen van Rensburg, Caitlin Greenberg and Lothar Böttcher.

Main image: ‘Orange Bloom “Evolved”‘ by Ryan Manuel.

In the Making exhibition at Glasmuseet Ebeltoft

Launching on 14 January 2023, the In the Making exhibition at Denmark’s Glasmuseet Ebeltoft showcases the creative processes of 10 younger glass artists.

The exhibition explains how wild ideas are transformed into artistic reality. Alongside this, visitors will have the opportunity to be creative, with three lucky visitors having their drawings transformed into glass in the museum’s studio.

The artists represented present a wide range of works on many themes, from experimental and material-based practices with Ida Wieth and Johanne Jahncke, to studies of expressions of nature and raw materials with Morten Klitgaard and Lise Eggers.

Karen Nyholm creates figurative stories about magical beings, Aoife Soden dives into maritime symbols and sailor tattoos, while Marie Retpen explores the imperfect body. Meanwhile, Jonas Noël Niedermann plays with the optical qualities of glass, Bjørn Friborg works with sculptural ‘implosions’, and Tobias Sode throws himself into new artistic expressions based on the Tetris computer game.

Chalk drawings and notes on blackboards convey the artistic process and give visitors an insight into sources of inspiration, considerations, experiments and methods. In many glass studios, artists draw sketches with chalk before starting to work with the hot glass. This method of communication is also designed to inspire the audience to engage creatively in the exhibition and make their own chalk drawings.

The artists in the exhibition have all received the Finn Lynggaard Grant, which has been awarded by The Finn Lynggaard Foundation annually since 2010, when the founder of the glass museum, Finn Lynggaard, was 80.

The award has provided a grant to a practising glass artist every year on Finn Lynggaard’s birthday to be used for further education or a study trip.

In the Making marks the closure of The Finn Lynggaard Foundation.

The exhibition is on until 16 April 2023.

Glasmuseet Ebeltoft is at Strandvejen 8, DK-8400 Ebeltoft, Denmark.

Find out more via the website.

Image: Ida Wieth demonstrating her making process. Photo: Kåre Viemose.

CGS raffle raises almost £2k

Each year the Contemporary Glass Society (CGS) holds a fundraising raffle. This is an important way to support the CGS to put on its many events. Plus purchasers have the chance to win one of a selection of unique, glass-related prizes.

The 2022 raffle raised nearly £2,000 towards the CGS’s anniversary year events, and the committee wish to thank all the artists who generously gave their work, as well as all those who bought tickets.

Artists who donated this time included Charlie McPherson, who donated the impressive bowl shown in the image, Amanda Simmons, and Adam Aaronson, plus several CGS members. There was also the chance to win a sketch by US glass master, Dale Chihuly.

There were 15 winners in total, with Helen Johnson winning Charlie’s bowl. Peter Austin won Dale Chihuly’s drawing, Pam Fyvie won Amanda Simmons’ piece, and Sarah Stutchfield won Adam Aaronson’s. Carol Barlow won Dan Klein’s book donated by Alan J Poole, and other winners were Hannah Gibson, Hannah Facey, Helen Stokes, Katharyn S-R, Kate Pasvol, Angela Ashton, Debbie March, Paul Cameron, Dot Hill and A Popkin.

Thanks again to everyone who bought tickets.

Image: The bowl donated by Charlie Macpherson.

Sculpting history

Glass artist Amber Cowan captures the past in her detailed dioramas in vintage colours that are inspired by, and incorporate, glass from now closed US factories. Linda Banks finds out more.

What led you to start working with glass?

I have had a fascination with glass since I was a child. I remember buying my mother glass presents and jewellery and have always been drawn to little glass animals.

What glass techniques have you used and which do you prefer?

I started out learning traditional hot shop glassblowing as an art student at Salisbury University in the US. For my work now I am primarily a flameworker. I still occasionally blow glass in the hot shop, but most of my work time is spent flameworking. I also do a bit of fusing, which is incorporated in my work. I also use coldworking when necessary, but it is not my favourite technique.

‘Fountain with Fans in River and Jade’ (2022) is made from flame worked pressed glass cullet, found and sought antique glass, blown glass and mixed media.

You use a lot of old and end-of-line pressed glass in your work. How did this come about and why is this important to you?

I started working with this kind of glass in graduate school at Tyler School of Art. It was initially a financial decision because I found a barrel of this type of old cullet available and free in storage at the school. I then went down the rabbit hole as I decided to find out where this glass came from and dived into the history of the material. This discovery led to my next 10-plus years of work and a fascination with the history of this material. There is a rich history of glassmaking in the US and a lot of this is being forgotten as the factories have closed. I think it is important to remember this history, the patterns of the moulds, and the colours that were created. My work gives this kind of glass a new story and a new place in history.

‘Cherries in Milk with Creamer and Compote’ (2022).

What is your creative approach? Do you draw your ideas out or dive straight in with the materials?

I usually start with the raw materials and colours that I find in the cullet. Then I start to search for what original pieces were created in those colours. I do deep dives on the internet, sift through flea markets and antique stores, and get a lot of donations from strangers and friends. Most of my process is labour-intensive flameworking, making a lot of organic shapes, from flowers to feathers, pearls and leaves. Once I have the bulk of the flameworked material created and the special elements picked out, I start arranging the composition. It is almost like composing a flower arrangement.

Detail of ‘Pen and Cygnet Swimming in Sky’ (2022).

What message(s) do you want to convey through your art? 

I am inspired by the vintage colours that I work with and the objects that were originally produced with them. More often my diorama-style pieces aim to animate the glass, whether that is birds or butterflies hovering over the work, an animal or figurine animating the piece, or the dripping of a fountain, where the glass is melting out of the piece. I aspire to tell animated stories with the work.

I also take elements from my travels and personal life into the narratives and imagine them into surreal compositions.

What is your favourite tool or piece of equipment and why?

I could not make my work without my bonsai shears. Almost all of the flameworked pieces, especially the feathers which I utilise a lot, are created by cutting the hot glass with bonsai shears.

Do you have a favourite piece you have made? Why is it your favourite?

I really love the piece ‘Bridesmaid’s Search for the Desert Rose’. I feel that my ideas and my technical abilities really came together with this piece, capturing my life at that moment.

‘Bridesmaid’s Search for the Desert Rose’ (2018).

Where do you show and sell your work?

I mainly sell my work through Heller Gallery in New York. I also have some work at Momentum Gallery in Asheville, North Carolina, and Habatat Gallery in Michigan. My work is in many public museum collections throughout the US.

What advice would you give to someone starting out on a career in glass?

The harder you work the luckier you get. Being successful in art is not necessarily about ‘talent’; it is about your dedication, work ethic and commitment to your practice.

Do you have a career highlight?

In 2021 I received a United States Artists Fellowship in Crafts. My other fellows in the category were truly phenomenal artists and I was very proud to be a part of that group and to receive that honour.

Detail of ‘Hummingbirds Feast on Helio and Lavender’ (2021).

Where is your glass practice heading next?

I am hoping that my work will keep trending towards crossing over into the art world in general – not just the glass or craft worlds. I am very much a glass artist, and my work is about the history of the material, but it is nice to be appreciated for the work regardless of the material.

Is the global energy crisis affecting your practice?

Not exactly. I have obviously seen an increase in the prices of some of my supplies, but my energy consumption in creating my work is pretty low.

And finally…

I will have a show opening in April 2023 at The Museum of American Glass at Wheaton Arts in New Jersey. I am also teaching a torch and flameworking course at North Lands Creative in Scotland in August 2023.

About the artist

Amber Cowan is inspired by the vintage colours used by the glass factories of the past.

Amber Cowan’s sculptural glasswork is based around the use of recycled, upcycled, and second-life American pressed glass. She uses the process of flameworking, hot-sculpting and glassblowing to create large-scale sculptures that overwhelm the viewer with ornate abstraction and viral accrual. With an instinctive nature towards horror vacui, her pieces reference memory, domesticity and the loss of an industry through the re-use of common items from the aesthetic dustbin of American design.

Her recent diorama-style pieces tell stories of self-discovery, escapism and the power of the feminine utilising figurines and animals found in collected antique glass pieces. These figurines become recurring symbols in the evolving narrative and simultaneously pay homage to the history of US glassmaking.

Find out more via her website: www.ambercowan.com

All photos by Matthew Hollerbush.

Main image: Detail of the top section of Amber Cowan’s ‘Hummingbirds Feast on Helio and Lavender’ (2021)

New round of QEST funding for craftspeople

Applications open on 9 January 2023 for the next round of funding for craftspeople from the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST).

QEST awards scholarship and apprenticeship funding of up to £18,000 to talented and aspiring craftspeople with a broad range of skills, including glassblowing and other glass-related fields, farriery, jewellery design, silversmithing, dry stone walling,  cheese maturing, sculpture and many more.

QEST looks to support successful applicants to further their practice, by funding such things as training, courses, international placements, plus attendance at conferences and exhibitions.

Many glass artists have received support from QEST over the years, the most recent being Laura Quinn and Andrea Spencer. Read more about their plans for their awards here.

The next application round is open from 9 January – 12 February 2023.

QEST celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2020 and since 1990 has awarded over £5.4 million to 700 individuals working in over 130 different crafts. It defines craft broadly and welcomes applications from all areas.

A directory of all past alumni, plus more details on how to apply, are available on the website: www.qest.org.uk.

QEST supports two glass artists to progress their practice

Two glass artists have been awarded Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) Scholarships in the latest round of grants.

The successful entrants are Andrea Spencer and Laura Quinn.

Based in Northern Ireland, Andrea Spencer is a glass artist who finds inspiration in nature and investigates natural forms, which are either transformed into symbolic objects or abstracted to create artworks with a personal narrative. Using both traditional and innovative techniques of flameworking glass, her work possess qualities that reflect the intricacies of the natural world and contain elements that highlight its beauty and transience.

QEST funding will enable Andrea to develop her skills with master flameworker Eric Goldschmidt in Corning, New York, attend the International Flameworking Conference in New Jersey and undertake a research trip to Harvard University to study the internationally-acclaimed Ware Collection of Blaschka flameworked Glass Models. These experiences will enhance her existing knowledge and skills, allowing her to broaden the range of work she can produce at the torch and expand the range of workshops she can offer other artists.  Find out more about her work on her website.

Laura Quinn creates interactive glass sculptures that encourage the audience to reconsider their perceived constraints of the material. She combines traditional glass making techniques such as glass blowing and lampworking, with digital design technologies and alternative materials to create pieces that challenge the idea that glass is too fragile to touch. She has a BA in Glass Design from the National College of Art & Design in Dublin, an MA in 3D Design Crafts from the Arts University Plymouth, plus experience working at Corning Museum of Glass, Olustvere Glass Studio, Estonia and LoCo Glass Studio. Laura currently works as a Glass Technical Tutor at the University for the Creative Arts in Surrey, and was selected to exhibit a new and ambitious body of work as part of Collect 2022.

Laura Quinn with her work at Collect Space 2022. Photo: Sylvain Deleu.

QEST funding will enable Laura to attend a glass blowing masterclass at the Pilchuck Glass School in Washington, US, with master glass blowers Boyd Sugiki and Lisa Zerkowitz, whose works are renowned for their precision of form and application of colour. This training will be vital in the continuation and development of her glass practice, and in future she plans to establish her own studio and work part time as an educator, sharing her skills with makers in the UK.

Read more about Laura Quinn’s collaboration on a fashion garment via this article in Glass Network digital. More information is available on her website.

The next funding application round for potential QEST scholars will be open from 9 January-12 February 2023. Visit the QEST website for more details.

Main image: Detail of Andrea Spencer’s ‘Hydrangea Mop’.

Fashion Awards trophies created from coloured glass rods

A collaboration with The Glass Foundry in the Cotswolds has resulted in trophies made from glass rods for the Fashion Awards 2022.

British-Nigerian designer Yinka Ilori designed the awards, working with environmentally friendly jeweller Skydiamond and The Glass Foundry, which created the trophies. The partnership was arranged by the British Fashion Council.

Yinka Ilori’s first solo exhibition opened at London’s Design Museum earlier in 2022, with work featuring vibrant colours and bold patterns. The trophies have a nine-by-nine configuration and remain faithful to his design vision, celebrating bright colours.

He explained that he wanted the trophies to be symbolic of the collaborative nature of fashion, with each rod representing the many creative roles within the fashion industry.

Read more about the exhibition ‘Yinka Ilori: Parables of Happiness’, which is on until 25 June 2023, via this link.

Image: Details of trophies designed by Yinka Ilori. Photo courtesy of The Fashion Awards.

Enchanted Garden seeks artworks for tenth anniversary exhibition

The Enchanted Garden in Belgium is celebrating its tenth anniversary in Summer 2023, and will host an international exhibition of artworks in a variety of media on the theme ‘(E)motion’.

The show will comprise two elements: One is ‘Motion’: Movement, Change, such as kinetic sculptures, sculpture of a movement, such as a running horse, or a sequence of colours or motifs; the second is ‘Emotion’, with artworks expressing a movement in mood, state of mind, or atmosphere.

Following on from the success of the glass art shown in 2022, organisers Tone Aanderaa and Ignace Clarysse are keen that at least half of the exhibits in 2023 should be glass or have glass characteristics, through being reflective, transparent or coloured. Pieces can be all glass or mixed media.

The Enchanted Garden is a natural, water-rich landscape garden located halfway between Brussels, Liège and Namur and on the RAVEL tourist cycle path connecting Leuven, Tienen, Hoegaarden, Jodoigne and Namur.

Each sculpture has its own spot and and does not compete with other works of art. Visitors see every sculpture, as they are guided through the garden by a carefully planned pathway.

The open call has launched and interested artists should email their proposals by the deadline of 9 January 2023.

Applications should include:

A short profile (maximum one side of A5) explaining why the works should be included in the exhibition;

Links to a website and/or previous exhibitions;

Photos or sketches of possible artworks;

Time period available (minimum one month, i.e. five consecutive weekends, maximum two months) during the exhibition (Friday 9 June – ‘Sculptures in Spring Colours’; Friday 23 June to Sunday 24 September – ‘Summer Exhibition’; then ‘Sculptures in Autumn Colours’ until Sunday 15 October 2023).

The selection committee may contact artists during January 2023 for further discussion and to organise a studio visit. In early March 2023, the selection committee will publish the list of invited artists.

A fund is available to partly compensate transport costs.

The Enchanted Garden will be open every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, public holidays and long weekends from 13:00 to 20:00 (13:00 to 19:00 from 18 September 2023).

Artists should email their submissions by 9 January 2023 to: info@ignace-clarysse.com and ArtSanctuary@live.com

Find out more on the website.

Image: Christian Delory’s ‘Vol au vent 3’ featured in the 2022 exhibition.

Stourbridge Glass Museum’s new manager to introduce more interactive displays

Stourbridge Glass Museum (SGM) has appointed a new museum manager to oversee the development of new displays and experiences.

Alexander Goodger joins SGM from Dundee Museum of Transport, where he was manager and was instrumental in making the exhibits more ‘hands on’.

In Stourbridge, Alexander will work alongside colleagues and volunteers, including museum curator Harrison Davies, to enhance existing exhibitions by adding new interactive features.

There will also be events, such as beer and wine tasting evenings, as well as new additions to the Museum’s mysterious tunnels, including visual projections and immersive audio.

Commenting on his appointment, Alexander said: “I’m really pleased to join this expanding team at Stourbridge Glass Museum. It’s a real asset to the local Glass Quarter and I’m looking forward to growing its appeal among local residents and tourists from farther afield.

“The history of glass in the Black Country is absolutely fascinating and there are so many stories to tell. We’re going to bring these to life through new interactive displays that will ignite new interest among children and adults. Indeed, I am always looking to create exhibitions that encourage visitors to touch and engage with collections, and bring visitors closer to the heritage. Creating exhibitions that ask questions and provoke discussions is really important.

“We’re also going to be strengthening our fundraising activity so we can deliver more partnerships with charitable organisations like the Dementia Friendship Group – Me, Myself, I, which visits monthly. Ultimately, my aim is for us to become known as one of the best museums in the country.”

He added that the team was analysing visitor feedback in order to “optimise” people’s experience of the Museum in 2023.

Welcoming Alexander to SGM, Graham Knowles, chairman of the British Glass Foundation, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have Alexander in our team. His approach to visitor engagement aligns perfectly with everything Stourbridge Glass Museum stands for – giving people the chance to experience glass making and live its history through interactive exhibits. He’s full of fresh ideas and I’m certain he’ll keep visitors enthused about all things glass for years to come.

“We now have a fantastic leadership team in place, supported by amazing volunteers, and I’m really excited about what they’re going to achieve in the year ahead.”

Presently, SGM is hosting Georgia Redpath’s ‘Nature | Architecture’ exhibition, which features colourful, geometric miniature scenes. Alexander recommends making it a day out with a walk along the canal combined with a visit to the Red House Cone and then Stourbridge Glass Museum, both of which are dog friendly.

SGM has risen from eighth to third on TripAdvisor, in the ‘Things to do in Stourbridge’ category, thanks in no small part to the popular festive bauble-making weekend hosted by resident glass blower Allister Malcolm at the end of November. Almost 400 baubles were created.

Image: SGM’s new manager, Alexander Goodger.

Taking glass design into the third dimension

Wilfried Grootens broke away from his traditional training in glass painting and developed a layered approach to build 3D contemporary glass forms. These change in exciting ways with the perspective of the viewer. Linda Banks finds out more.

What led you to start working with glass?

I got an enamel kiln for Christmas when I was eight or nine years old and started making jewellery, cufflinks, rings, house numbers and little things like that. The fascination with being able to create bright, transparent or opaque layers of colour with matte enamel powders after firing was magical to me at the time.

‘Closed Vessel 7’. Note the layers of clear, painted glass.

What glass techniques have you used?

At the age of 16 I started training as a glass and porcelain painter and mosaicist. After 3.5 years I received my professional diploma. After this I worked as an assistant to different artists and learned to become more experimental. I was able to move away from classical glass painting without losing sight of the basic production requirements, such as firing temperatures, cooling phases and brightening times, painting media and binder formulations. The discovery of the spray gun for applying enamel paints to larger glass surfaces deserves a special mention here, too.

‘Transmutation Still I, II, III’. Each cube is 22cm square.

How did you develop your glass painting technique?

At one point while stacking painted glass sheets, I had the idea to create something three-dimensional. Of course, this required a completely different approach. I didn’t have to work with shading on one glass pane to create the illusion of three-dimensionality, but painted a shape on many panes one-dimensionally and got a three-dimensional image in the glass body by gluing the glass panes together.

When I then began to polish my painted, glued panes I was very excited with the results. In this way I created reflections of the painted body on the inner walls of the glass, which also changed with the location of the viewer. This was new; I had never seen anything like it before and decided to follow this new path.

The glue room where all the individual painted glass sheets are fixed together before cold working and finishing begin.

What is your creative approach? Do you draw your ideas out or dive straight in with the materials?

I make a construction sketch to determine how large the individual layers of paint need to be in order to form the overall shape I want when they are brought together and glued.

Then I make a colour sketch to plan the colours to be used, the style of painting and the binder of the individual colours. This is crucial for the colour flow when gluing.

Of course, something is added during the working process, or I work without a plan.

Wilfried at work in his studio. Once the glass sheets have been glued together they must be polished and cleaned.

You travelled widely and worked in the music field when you were younger. What inspires your glass work today?

Music and travelling have always been, and still are, my source of inspiration. Encountering other cultures, their music and art expression based on the culture’s inherent nature and understanding of God expands my thinking and feeling.

What message(s) do you want to convey through your art?

I want my art to create a counterpoint to the surrounding man-made ugliness. I want to take the viewer into my little world, amaze them and invite them to discover my work.

What is your favourite tool or piece of equipment and why?

First of all I have to mention my turntables. They simplify the work process, as you can bring inaccessible parts of the work to you by turning the plate. I have them for larger format images and for small format ones. Secondly, but no less important, I have my record player to play music.

Do you have a favourite piece you have created?

Not really. However, often a piece I haven’t seen for a long time, that I didn’t think was especially good when I made it, suddenly reveals qualities that I didn’t notice before.

‘Odysseus Nightmare’ has a mesmerising effect.

Where do you show and sell your work?

My work is represented by Sandra Ainsley Gallery in Canada, in the US at Habatat Gallery, Montague Gallery, PieceArt Gallery, Raven Gallery and Shaw Gallery, at Plateaux Gallery in London, UK, Etienne Gallery in the Netherlands, Sikabonyi Gallery in Austria, Le Cube Vernet Gallery in France, plus Continuum Gallery, Schürenberg Kunsthandel and Galerie Spiegel in Germany.

‘Birth’ has a real sense of depth through the layers finely painted in turquoise, green, blue and pink.

What advice would you give to someone starting out on a career with glass?

The most important thing is to develop something that no one else does the same way.

Preferably create a signature style that makes you recognisable as the artist. Participate in international exhibitions that publish documentation or a catalogue, even if it costs money and does not bring in money. Accept criticisms as small defeats and not as a fundamental rejection of your work. Keep in contact with the galleries that sell your work so that you can see how they treat it and appreciate it, and whether they pay in a reasonable time.

Do you have a career highlight?

I have several. Namely, every time a museum or a foundation or a collection takes a work of mine and makes it accessible to the public, and thus seen.

‘Red Annemon’ is created from several individual sheets of glass.

Where is your glass practice heading next?

At the moment I am working on wall work that consists of five layers of glass, which are painted individually, then glued, forming a depth image of superimposed layers of paint. The drying time for each pane is long and the painting surface is also on a turntable so that the paint does not run off on one side. I find what happens during the drying process is fascinating, influenced by coincidences and unpredictability.

‘Blue Hole 2’ is an example of Wilfried’s layered wall art.

Then I want to work on my ‘vessels’, although this name is misleading because these are solid and only the shape and internal painting suggest a vessel. I will wait and see what comes after that.

‘Closed Vessel 4’ glows with warm colours.

Is the global energy crisis affecting your practice?

I work primarily with cold processes. However, the production of flat glass, which is my raw material, the energy needed for grinding and polishing, transport, tools – everything has almost doubled in price in a very short time. That raises concerns about how it will continue.

The artists who use hot and warm processes are even more impacted, with their enormous expenditure on energy for melting and cooling. Some pieces will not be made at all, because the energy consumption cannot justify the banality of the design or the project.

About the artist

Wilfried carefully paints each sheet of glass before gluing them together to give a magical 3D effect in the finished piece.

Wilfried Grootens was born in 1954 in Uedem, Germany. Between 1969 and 1973 he undertook an apprenticeship as glass and porcelain painter with Hein Derix in Kevelaer. From 1973 to 1981 he travelled through Asia, South and Central America and the Middle East.

In 1988 he gained his master’s certificate and the following year he set up his own studio in Kleve.

He has won many awards and exhibited internationally.

Find out more via his website.


Main feature image: Wilfried Grootens’ ‘Cosmic Efflorescence 4’ is comprised of painted, glued and polished glass.

All photos by Norbert Heyl.