Miranda van der Waal

Lampworker

©David de Vos

©Marcel Krol

©Guido Akster

©Astrid v.d. IJssel

The glass conjurer

Miranda has followed the path of her ancestors
Her creations are experiments with colour
Technique and intuition are her magic ingredients

Miranda van der Waal’s glassblowing genes can be traced back four generations. As a child, she was already experimenting with glass in her mother’s workshop. "Glassblowing was in my blood, so I never made a conscious choice to become a glassblower, it was simply my destiny." Apprenticed at Van Bruggen, an established glass instrument maker, Miranda honed her skills further, learning the essential techniques of mouth blowing and hand drawing glass. Her specialist skills have led her to undertake various commissions, among them three chandeliers for the Rijksmuseum. Above all, her relationship with glass is special because of what molten glass allows her to do, to conjure her own creations as a glass artist.

Interview

©John Sassen

©Marcel Krol

How would you define what you do?: I think glassblowing is a form of magic. The flame that melts the glass brings the material to life. It’s an intuitive thing, an organic process of feeling and technique, everything must come together in just the right way to conjure that magic.
Do you master any specific techniques?: Throughout my career, I have found it exciting to experiment with chlorides and oxides to apply colour to clear glass. It has resulted in my own unique process of colour application, creating contrast when producing matt and shiny finishes.
Which glass creations do you like making the most?: I enjoyed working on past commissions, such as the making of chandeliers for the Rijksmuseum, but my enjoyment mostly comes from creating freely. When I craft flamingos, for example, I can stretch the glass very thinly, shaping it into a pair of elegant legs.
What advice would you give a young person wanting to practise your craft?: Glassblowing, like most crafts, takes time to master. It needs to be a passion, as it takes patience and dedication to perfect the skills needed to learn to control the glass. Only then can you develop your glassblowing skills and techniques further.

Miranda van der Waal is an expert artisan she began her career in 1977