Joanna Manousis

Glass sculptor

©Jenny Goodfellow

©Courtesy of Wexler Gallery

Reflecting on reflections

Joanna's pieces are exhibited worldwide
Glass is the medium of her artistic research
She is fascinated by the theatricality of reflective surfaces

The glass sculpture of British artist Joanna Manousis is fascinating and multilayered. She puts ideas at the forefront of her research and investigates the potential of the medium by using in-depth techniques. With a hands-on studio practice spanning 17 years, Joanna strives to transform cast glass surfaces into reflective, three-dimensional mirrors. This ambition serves to “shift the viewers perspective, bringing new experiential possibilities.” Born and raised in Shropshire, England, Joanna has obtained a BFA in Glass (Wolverhampton University, UK), an MFA in Sculpture (Alfred University, NY) and is currently a PhD researcher at University of Sunderland at The National Glass Centre, UK. Her work encompasses the small and intimate to the large and sublime.

Interview

©Jenny Goodfellow

©Jenny Goodfellow

When did you decide to focus on glass working?: I was introduced to stained glass making during my foundation studies in Art and Design at Yale College in Wrexham, Wales. This sparked an interest to enrol in a BFA in Glass and Ceramics at Wolverhampton University. It was here that I decided to dedicate myself to the material of glass.
Do ideas or techniques influence your finished piece?: Ideas are always the driver in my work, and my technical understanding allows me to manifest these ideas. I often combine multiple methods of making to achieve a desired aesthetic and narrative. The soul of the artist is captured in works made by hand: that is the essential quality in all my pieces.
What is your challenge as a maker?: For the last decade, I have been striving to transform cast glass surfaces into reflective, three-dimensional mirrors. Mirrors enliven a surface, bringing a greater connection between the object and the viewer.
Why the mirror?: The history of the mirror is fascinating and complex. I am interested in how self-awareness is shaped by reflection, both literally and metaphorically. My current PhD research investigates the material parameters of cast glass mirrors to create a palette of ‘mirrored effects’.

Joanna Manousis is a master artisan: she began her career in 2007 and she started teaching in 2008