Contemporary Glass Society
JOIN US ON ZOOM on Wednesday 12th March at 7.30pm GMT for a fantastic evening where all the makers taking part in our online glass exhibition “Light and Dark” have the chance to talk to you about their piece and inspiration!
Members, please sign in via the links in your member e-bulletin.
Non-members, you will need to join as a member to take part.
Membership gives you full access to all our live online events, and all live recorded talks.
Julia Kastler studied glass art and design and has a MA in fine arts as well as art pedagogy from the University of applied Arts & Design in Linz (Austria). After a couple of years working as a stained glass restorer, she trained as a stained glass artist with the British stained glass artist Mark Angus. Since 2020, she has been working in her studio in Graz (A) as a glass artist and designer and has been represented in numerous exhibitions. Julia Kastler specializes in working with mouth-blown coloured glass and combines the traditional glass painting techniques with the unconventional in her artworks.
In my narrative works I mainly use stained glass, but also casting and screen printing. I create paintings, glass panels, installations and objects.
Women are a central theme in my art, especially their role in political, social and mythological contexts. I often create portraits that are sometimes figurative, sometimes abstract. They are intended to evoke emotions and reflections. I want to make the hidden visible and provide food for thought in order to find parallels and connections. I discover these connections in nature, with its cyclical rhythm, it inspires me to express the connection between human life and natural cycles. Questions about relationships, responsibility and the role of women today also flows into my art.
In my talk I will share my own journey with glass, how I came to it and some milestones in my artistic life so far. I will talk about important encounters and people who have accompanied me on this journey and continue to do so. I will present the narrative approach of my works, including the themes that occupy me in my art and how I express them in different ways.
And last but not least, I would like to talk about the heritage and opportunity of narratives in stained glass, how it works in a contemporary context and has great potential in glass art today.
Şişecam @sisecam is a global player in the fields of glass and chemicals. It is the only global company operating in all core areas of the glass industry, including flat glass, glassware, glass packaging, automotive glass and fiberglass as well as soda and chromium compounds. With a legacy spanning 89 years, innovation has always been a cornerstone of Şişecam’s journey, and the company remains committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation and collaboration for a sustainable future.
In its commitment to advancing the global glass industry, Şişecam launched the Şişecam Glass Symposium in 1985. Over the following 40 years, the symposium steadily evolved into an international event, attracting hundreds of distinguished participants from both industry and academia. As one of Europe’s premier platforms for glass science and technology, the Şişecam Glass Symposium has been organized simultaneously with the International Commission on Glass (ICG) three times in the past.
The 39th Şişecam International Glass Conference, will be held under the theme “United to Innovate – Inspire Future” from April 9-11, 2025, in a hybrid format in Venice, Italy.
The event will focus on cutting-edge technological advancements, innovative products that elevate the value of glass, and sustainable solutions, driving the future of the glass industry forward.
They believe that the 39th Şişecam International Glass Conference is an exceptional opportunity to engage with the world’s leading scientists and researchers fostering discussions in ever expanding areas and endless potential of glass in building a sustainable future. By participating, you will have the chance to inspire the glass community and play a pivotal role in driving future innovations and advancements.
