Glass that ripples with energy
- Nancy mastered Venetian techniques under Italian maestro Lino Tagliapietra
- Her playful sculptural pieces feature dynamic shapes and forms
- Since 2001, she has taught at renowned glass schools across the USA
Nancy Callan’s glass practice began in 1996, when she joined Italian maestro Lino Tagliapietra’s studio. While working as part of his team for nearly two decades, she mastered traditional Venetian techniques like cane, incalmo and murrine, skills that have become the foundation of her own language in glass. Taking these abilities into a new context, along with a playful approach to form, Nancy’s practice is known for its whimsical qualities. She draws on Bauhaus, vintage pop and fashion as she creates her colourful and charismatic sculptural glass pieces. For Nancy, the process offers wonder, mystery and joy. “Riffing on the traditions, enjoying the material and following my imagination is the best place to be,” she says.
Interview
- What drew you to glass as a medium?
- I was drawn to the molten fluidity of hot glass, along with the mental and physical demands, and the fast pace. In the glass shop, the whole world drops away because it demands your entire focus.
- How do your inspirations surface in your work?
- My work Comme les Filles is inspired by Comme des Garçons designer Rei Kawakubo, so I chose a title that subtly points to her. While the final piece, a series of 19 glass panels with textile-inspired imagery, is abstract in content, she was undeniably a muse. I am interested in how ideas are transposed and translated: what I can learn and what unexpected things might emerge from it.
- Has the process ever led to an unexpected outcome?
- So many things can go sideways in glassblowing. Once, a piece of cane cracked during set up. The broken ends had a frayed look, like distressed fabric. I thought, what can I do with that? It led to more experimental choices, breaking rules and developing a freer language that embraces irregularity in pattern.
- As a queer artist, how have you seen the glass field evolve?
- The glass world has become more aware of the need for diversity. Museums and collectors are reassessing gaps and making efforts to include more women, artists of colour and LGBTQ voices, which I fully support.
Nancy Callan is a master artisan: she began her career in 1996 and she started teaching in 2001
Where
Nancy Callan
