Isabelle Adragna

Stained glass poetry

• Isabelle aims to bring stained glass back into today's living spaces
• She approaches her glass works as paintings
• She specialises in the Tiffany and lead method of stained glass making

Isabelle Adragna revisits the art of stained glass through interior design and architecture. Her poetic creations adorn spaces with light and colour, bringing a contemporary outlook to this age-old artistic tradition. After a 20-year career in administration, Isabelle naturally turned to craft as a way of reconnecting with her creativity and her love of working with her hands. "Glass was self-evident for me," she states. In her creations, she likes to associate glass with other materials such as copper, brass, or leather, thus playing with different textures. Inspired by art deco styles, painters like Modigliani, or poets like Cocteau, Isabelle uses glass as her means of expression to tell stories and engage in a harmonious dialogue between past heritage and contemporary design.

Interview

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©Isabelle adragna

How did you come to choose craftsmanship as your profession?

My grandfather was a painter and sculptor, and my father liked to explore and work with a variety of materials, so I grew up in a creative and manual environment. However, it was not until years later that the desire to let this creativity express itself led me to consider a career change.

What was your first project when you opened your studio?

My first creation was a stained glass window for living room doors. I called it my Unstructured project. I took the pattern of the tiles in my clients' entrance hall, which was a classic black and white checkerboard, and gave it a more contemporary look by deconstructing it. I like to always keep a nod to the past even though I modernise.

What do you enjoy most when imagining a new project?

I like to surprise people with my creations, because when we talk about stained glass, the first image that comes to mind is that of religious stained-glass windows. I try to show a very contemporary side to the craft, that allows stained glass to feature in our modern interiors.

What does the term 'complete' imply for you and your work process?

Repeating what you have learnt, taking care of the process all along the way, and above all doing it with passion. Even though a piece is handcrafted, and therefore intrinsically imperfect, the goal remains to complete it and strive for perfection.

Isabelle Adragna is a rising star she began her career in 2019

Works

©Isabelle adragna

©Juan Jerez

©Isabelle adragna

©Isabelle adragna

Where