New Growth

Handblown green medium bud vase vase by Heather Kremen - Amokura Glass 

Dimensions: 260 x 160 x 95mm

Exhibition Statement - Derived From Nature

I create colourful blown glass vessels that are inspired by the colours and scenes found in nature. Nature is so creative that I’m often stopped dead in my tracks by the beauty that surrounds us.

While I love the forms and patterns in the natural world. What I see first is the colours. The soft whisps of white clouds on forested mountain across the street from my house. The sunlight through the canopy of trees. The colour combinations of the flowers in my garden. The ever-changing colours on water in the rivers, lakes and the unexpected colour combinations in hot pools around my city. All of this quiet beauty that humans had nothing to do with.

To create this, I choose 3 transparent colours per piece and wrap them around a bubble covered in white glass. Then, I repeatedly squeeze, twist and compress the colours. Doing this over a white background gives the colours life and movement. When the glass is blown out the colours have a beautiful, if unpredictable, swirled ombre effect.

I want to capture the colours and the feel of nature and bring it into our homes to remind us that a moment of peace can be found if we step outside our busy lives.

About the Artist

Heather Kremen is a glass artist working in hot shops since 2007. In 2017, Heather moved to New Zealand and took over the glass studio in Rotorua, now Amokura Glass. Now she teaches glass blowing, runs the studio and gallery and creates decorative and functional glass.

Heather is passionate about glass and works to share her passion with everyone from tamariki to nga kaumātua. Her purpose is to teach and share what she knows about glass and contribute to a thriving glass art community in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Currently, she runs glassblowing workshops in her public hot shop ranging from introductory workshops and glass-making experiences to longer blowing sessions taught over a weekend. She also offers private glassblowing training to developing glass artists.

In her art practice, Heather specialises in blown glass that incorporates intricate textile-inspired fused murrine tile patterns and elegant vessel forms. Heather’s glass art has been exhibited in Aotearoa and internationally including in the USA, France, and Japan.