GLASS MANDALAS
The series of glass mandalas is an expression of my fascination with light, glass, and nature. The issue of light demonstrates how important a role it plays in our lives, how necessary it is for people, animals, and plants. Moreover, it shows its wide applications in art and the unpredictable effects it can produce when combined with transparent objects, which particularly captivate me. This also translates into a fascination with glass itself. Glass intrigues me especially in the process of its creation, the technique of blowing, which is inaccessible to me, that gives such an amazing diversity in form, color, and texture.
And what fascinates me about nature? It’s how interconnected everything is. How it can be perfect in its details and surprising at the same time. How it is both enchanting and captivating. If only we choose to observe it. If we dedicate a moment of attention to it and lean in to understand it. If we try to comprehend the laws it follows. And above all, if we respect it. I get the impression that many people have forgotten how deeply we are connected to nature. That we are a part of it. And that we belong to it, not it to us.
All of this together inspired me to take up glass and create something completely new from available materials. Materials that were within my reach, destined to be thrown away. If I can find the material for my works myself and don’t have to buy new, specially produced ones, I do it. In this way, even if only slightly, I support ecology. If I can use second-hand materials, I am very happy. And by buying in charity shops, I additionally support charitable causes. Of course, sometimes I need to buy something “new” that is necessary for me, but I always have a choice and can make conscious decisions.
The idea for glass mandalas was my inner need. Only over time did I realize that I had started creating on the border of recycling art. I didn’t want traditional flat stained glass with precisely cut elements either. I needed freedom of form. That’s why I used shards of glass that were created by smashing bottles and other glass objects. In this way, I gave up control in favor of freedom.
For me, it was important to highlight the diversity of the resulting shapes. This way, each shard gives my works texture, spatiality, and individuality. Because each side of the glass piece is different, it creates a certain depth. All these elements, combined with natural light, fully enhance the beauty and originality.
By abandoning the stained glass technique, I also consciously chose a different framing material than lead. Therefore, I turned to jute rope and began weaving macrame frames. This gave the glass mandalas a greater sense of lightness. The natural element of the framing directly relates to the used details such as feathers, dried flowers, oranges, pinecones, or butterflies. “Forest baths” have often provided me with these components. I have also found butterfly wings or whole dead butterflies, which I could later use in my art. The ones in the glass mandalas, I found on eBay. A collector was selling an entire series, so I bought them. It is obvious to me not to kill them.
When deciding to incorporate natural details into my work, I consciously opted out of using the fusing technique, which requires high temperatures. All the experience and choices I’ve accumulated led me to develop my own technique, which can be traced in a series of glass mandalas. You can also watch the creation process in the film I made.
