21st July 2023

Kaleidoscope of Colours: Glassware for the Summer

The summer season often inspires colour to be brought into lived-in spaces. In many instances, the colours in crafted objects reflect the allure of nature, built into a handmade object designated for an interior space. The vibrant colours invite associations with the cheerful and pleasant weather during summer, and the often fond memories made during this time. Glassware offers a diversity and range of colours, and its translucent quality adds a serendipitous character to the space, which interacts and changes with the light.

Glassware by Celia Dowson for Maud & Mabel. 

Celia Dowson’s glassware comes in a range of subtle colours with mesmerising gradients. Trained in both ceramics and glass-making, Dowson cross-applies techniques used in the two mediums. She begins by designing the mould and pouring glass pellets and frit into the mould, which is then heated to 860 degree celsius in the kiln. The molten glass then goes through a slow cooling process over the course of eight to ten days. The subtle hues and gradation in her work are created by the form of the vessel, with a denser pooling of glass and the slow cooling process.

Glassware by Celia Dowson for Maud & Mabel. 

S H U N  K U M A G A I
T E X T U R E D  S P E C T R U M S 

Glass vessels by Shun Kumagai. (Photograph Josephine Cottrell).

Shun Kumagai uses a glass casting technique, pouring molten glass and mixed materials, including metal and soil, into gypsum moulds. The artist makes his own moulds by shaping wax and pouring liquid plaster around the wax, which he then melts after the gypsum hardens. The mixed materials generate an ambiguity – appearing more like glass or earthenware, depending on the lighting. The artist uses interesting and sometimes contrasting colour combinations to complement the textured effect.

Glass vessels by Shun Kumagai. (Photograph Josephine Cottrell).

A S H R A F  H A N N A
B O L D  S T A T E M E N T S

Ashraf Hanna works primarily in ceramics, but his ceramic-making techniques and artistic instincts extend to his high-acclaimed glasswares. The artist begins by sculpting a solid clay mould for making a refractory mould from which the glass is casted. Hannah’s handbuilding technique allows him to create precise lines and controlled forms that are translated into the medium of glass, creating bold works with varying thickness in its body that showcase the effects of light through the translucency of thin and thick glass in strong colours.

Detail of glassware by Ashraf Hanna. (Courtesy the artist).

A K I  S A K A I D A
W A R M  S M O K E Y  G R A D I E N T S 

Aki Sakaida uses glassblowing to create the forms of her glassware, exploring the rich expressions of colour and texture through her glass vessels. Her pieces are smoke-stained with burnt wax, attaining a matte texture. The smoky glasswares acquire a sense of enigmatic timelessness, and the undulating shapes in shades of warm colours conjure a vision of a hazy landscape.

Glass vessels by Aki Sakaida. (Photograph Josephine Cottrell).