However, not all artwork can be bought from a gallery and proudly hung on a wall - some become a structural element of a home or commercial building. Glass artist Holly Sanford says she has a strong interest in the role of glass in architecture.
In the 1980s, Holly designed leaded modules of contemporary glass for commercial settings such as the Aotea Centre, the University of Auckland, Auckland District Court and Hamilton City Council. She also created numerous residential leaded stained glass windows. This worked at the time but a lot has changed since then.
“I’m off on a new tangent with glass which is very exciting,” says Holly. “For 25 years I did contemporary leaded design in a traditional manner.”
She reached a time in her life when she wanted to make a change in her profession but was uncertain of what direction to take. Modern architecture uses large flat surfaces, such as concrete planes, and small modules of traditional leaded glass do not work in these surroundings.
“If there is decoration is has to be on big pieces of glass. Making a change had a lot to do with getting rid of the lead.”
New Zealand has limited base glass studios, which are common in Europe. These European studios are developing techniques such as bonding glass, hand painting and firing, and enamels for colour. “Here that isn’t the case and I have to be practical about what I’m using.”
Holly wanted to apply the layering technique to windows, which coincided with the new building code requiring double-glazing in all new building projects.
Light plays an integral role with the layers and privacy is achieved with overlapping imagery sandblasted or digitally painted onto glass, which is then fired. It is scratch and ultraviolet light resistant, and creates a thermal barrier.
Panels have depth and numerous parallaxes and onlookers will see both sides of leaves. On an exhibition panel colour was introduced with hand-blown glass containing all of its bubbles and striations. Holly loves residential commissions because they give her a more personal approach with the owners of properties. Photographs of gardens and plants are used, particularly New Zealand natives.
“I’ve always worked in architecture with my windows, looked at spaces and considered what goes with the architecture, even if it is contemporary in an old house. Plants are almost automatically architectural because you look out into gardens and if you are looking in, you look past plants.
Homes in Holly’s Devonport neighbour-hood provided a blank canvas for her inspiration. With the owners’ permission, she photographed interesting features and contemplated how her new found technique could work with the archi-tecture. She computer generated hypo-thetical designs and then had panels made which were exhibited in France.
Her creations are much more than coloured windows – they are unique artworks. Sadly they would most likely be left with the home in which they are fitted unless the piece is a door which could be easily replaced.
