MERMAIDS

The connection with the sea is innate in us humans, at least that is how I feel. A few years ago, I started diving and snorkeling and with it the beauty of the underwater world in all its splendor opened up for me.

What fascinates me about this world is difficult to describe, because it is a feeling. The feeling is a mixture of excitement, joy, emotion and the awareness that one is only a visitor in this environment.

The moment of emerging from the water is comparable to the feeling I have when I am absorbed in my work and interrupted. Completely concentrated in this creative environment, where everything else is unimportant, the arrival in reality is somehow uncomfortable and I long to return to the depths.

As a sculptor I capture this moment in my sculptures. The mysterious water creatures that I create are as mystical as the material glass is itself.

I can understand only too well why for thousands of years people in all cultures have been telling legends about women who live in water and are half man, half fish. I am also fond of the idea that a graceful, human-like being can exist in this element.

These mythical creatures that appear in stories - romanticized as mermaids or deadly as sirens and mermaids - I interpret anew. I think that they do not correspond to the image of women today. Women are neither beautiful because they are shy and weak, nor are they horror figures who only want to drive men to ruin with their charms.

I see them as profound guardians of the waters, with opulent and individual crowns on their heads, which are an expression of the dignity, strength and grace of the wearer. The diversely shaped shells create a composition that reflects the glory and richness of the underwater world. The visions for this originate from the worlds in which I dive.

TUBES

The special thing about blown glass art for me is the speed with which the shaping takes place. Unlike glass melted in a furnace, the precise moment and the skill of the glassblower determine the ultimate result of the work. It is fascinating to observe how this red-hot material is driven into its form.
The design for this series involves twisting the glass body in the hot state so that the previously incorporated color accents rotate around an axis. A dynamic play of colors is created, which forms a contrast to the calm outer shape of the object.

The shape of the "tubes" is therefore a lively, flowing one. The basic characteristic is the "floating" part of the belly, while the foot seems to flow into the ground. After the hot glass has been pulled into its sweeping shape and cooled down, it is trimmed and polished at the outer ends. The point of separation is crucial for the way the object stands and also to support the floating, light appearance of the "tubes". The cutting of the glass at the head part opens up the possibility for the viewer to look within the body and thus also to explore the inside.

Over the years, I have made it my mission to explore this basic idea with new techniques. For example, some tubes are mirrored, others are covered with glass beads. The Tube 2014-2, which is part of the collection of the Ernsting Foundation, is covered with a borosilicate glass mesh. Working with new techniques has taught me a lot about this demanding material called glass. When I look at the series now, I can see the individual stages and achievements of this exciting journey.

TERRACES

I get inspiration for my glass objects from many different areas. The flat glass objects "Terraces", for example, are based on the rice fields that can be found in the hills of China. The arrangement of the terraces radiates such an elegant calm to me that I was determined to capture it in a work of art.

My interpretation is made of flat glass panes, which are irradiated with sand in an organic pattern. The tapered pattern, placed one after the other, creates a fascinating effect of depth and, although it has a strong coloring, it radiates elegance, calm and at the same time flowing dynamics, as the source of my idea.