Art is the Act of Creation
My work is not provided here, or in the world in general, in order to build better answers—it’s to ask better questions. If you don’t know where to start, look at one of my pieces and ask, “Why?” The goal and benefit of my work, and all art, is to create a means of exploration.
My Work
Zigure Drinkers
A human figure formed in fine copper wire and then encased in hot glass makes the best “drinking buddy.” The form of the copper figure influences the shape of the drinking glass—creating rolling contours in the form and contortions in the material. These drinking glasses seem to form-fit your hand. The cups have a thicker glass wall, making them incredibly sturdy, and they come in a variety of sizes from 10 to 18 ounces.
The gesture of the copper human figure adds sensation to the vessel and fun to the drinking. Each glass is inherently unique and made to be used for your lifetime (and beyond).
Energy Orb
The Energy Orb is a simple mechanism for bringing ease into your everyday. Within an Energy Orb are three coiled spheres of (recycled, or course) copper wire, encased in thick, molten glass. Part trinket, part gadget, the Orb has a smooth glass exterior built to fit in the palm of your hand. Grip your Energy Orb firmly and shake it in your hand to hear and feel the copper singing in glass.
With even a minimal amount of energy from you, the return is exponential. Focus, warm up, contemplate, amuse, distract, this Orb does so much with so little. It’s a generator for your thinking.
Sculpture of Zak Grace Glass
These whimsical sculptures hold themselves together through tension—allowing them to be adjustable to meet your mood and manner. I build these to engage the viewer in their physicality as an object of contemplation. They are made to be interacted with. The purpose of each piece is to be considered, mapped, and discovered by the beholder—without pretense or expectation. I don’t have any interest in determining what they are because most of the satisfaction I receive in their creation comes in the creating itself. I leave their life to you. So, If you see it, and it speaks to you, let’s talk about how to get it into your home or office.
There’s a good deal of puppet influence in these pieces’ construction. This is important because these sculptures are intended to be... fun. More than simply being observed, they’re intended to be interacted with as they reflect their own internal tensions and truths.
Absinthe Glass
This glass’s design is rooted in function—the drinking of absinthe. The ball-shaped bubble in the middle of the glass is a portion bubble, which measures the amount of absinthe. Each glass allows a 1 oz pour of absinthe while the vessel holds five more ounces of water above, allowing the drinker to add as much water as they’d like. The foot of the glass is extra wide to provide a steady base with a double layer of glass. The top of the glass is flat across so that a properly formed ice cube holder (brouiller) or absinthe sugar spoon will sit evenly.
Absinthe isn’t for everyone, but it’s a culture in which process is journey, where craft is appreciated, and within which materials amplify one’s enjoyment. These glasses are made with the same consideration for practice and ritual as the passion they contribute to.
Contact Me
My studio is not always open, but I welcome appointments there, so text or email me first.
glazmataz@gmail.com
text: 802.380.1958
446 Williams Street
Brattleboro, VT 05301