Thibaut Nussbaumer

Glassblowing at the heart of everyday life

• Thibaut's aim is to bring greater visibility to glassblowing
• He first trained as a designer
• Transmission is at the core of his atelier's philosophy

Sharing the beauty of his savoir-faire and breaking free creatively, Thibaut Nussbaumer is passionately dedicated to being ‘an effective link in the chain’ of glassmaking. After ten years of training and working in different ateliers across Europe – notably at Baccarat manufacture, and a major glass workshop in Switzerland – he opened Tipii Atelier, in the heart of Toulouse. Focusing on the creation of contemporary blown glass objects for everyday use, Thibaut's workshop is above all a welcoming place where people are warmly invited to discover and even try their hand at this spectacular craft. “It is a visually intriguing process, there is a lot of magic in it. That is why I personally fell in love with it,” he explains. Alongside the Tipii collections, Thibaut explores glass and challenges the limits of its technicality in unique artistic pieces.

Interview

©lougraphy.com

©Vincent BALDENSPERGER

When did you first discover glassblowing?

During my studies, we had a workshop focused on heritage and modernity, where we were asked to design a Christmas bauble with the CIAV ateliers (International Centre for Glass Art). It was there that I discovered how spectacular working with fire was. I instantly fell in love with this moving, enigmatic process. I also really like the fact that the material is tangible, reassuring.

What motivated you to set up your own workshop, Tipii Atelier?

After 10 years of training, I wanted to create my own studio and challenge myself as an entrepreneur. I set up the atelier in Toulouse, which was a choice guided by the heart. Establishing the workshop in the city fed my ambition to dust off the trade by making it visible. I aimed to target local people, individuals with whom I can share.

So, from your experience, how does your craft relate to the territory?

I am a native of Alsace where the glassmaking tradition is very strong. But in Toulouse there is no glassmaking tradition, so I had a blank canvas. This allowed me to free myself from heritage and redefine the outlines of my craft.

How would you describe your work in a few words?

My objects have a Scandinavian and playful aesthetic, with clean, pop colours. In my personal work, it is all about materials, that I experiment with a lot. I draw my inspiration from time and geology: natural, raw materials fascinate me. As an example, one of my work involves trying to recreate rust.

Thibaut Nussbaumer is a master artisan: he began his career in 2007 and he started teaching in 2017

Works

©Pierrick STEVANT

©Pierrick STEVANT

©TiPii Atelier

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