Verena Schatz
Glass sculptor
St. Konrad, Austria
Melting away the barriers
- Verena pairs technique with artistic creativity
- She loves exhausting the material’s versatility
- In 2021, she set up a glass maker space to work and teach
Verena Schatz sees herself as an artist and glassmaker. She operates at the intersections of art, craft and design, from interactive installations to sculptures and functional designs. “There are a multitude of aspects that appeal to me when dealing with this extremely versatile material,” Schatz says. “The greatest fascination still is the liquid and malleable state of glass, which often remains formally present in many of my works, despite the physical rigidity.” Verena trained in classic glass processing techniques. She worked as a glass technician before she began favouring the material as a creative and expressive medium. Her passion resulted in long-term study and periods of work in the US, Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland.
Discover her work
INTERVIEW
Entering into a dialogue with the hot glass allows me to be fully present in the here and now. The material, my body and my mind form a symbiosis. In this experimental and intuitive creative process, I explore both my limits and those of the material.
The interplay between glass and light mesmerises me. I’m fascinated by glass’s ability to portray the world behind it differently. I examine the material properties of glass in various states and use these experiences as a source of inspiration.
It is a physical activity but also a mentally demanding one. It contains dance and performative aspects, and the work on the glass kiln requires material knowledge, technical skills, absolute concentration and perseverance.
I started the Glass Maker Space in April 2021. I pursue my artistic work there and use the demonstration workshop to share my knowledge and teach people. It’s vital to promote this dying craft which UNESCO declared an Intangible World Cultural Heritage in 2015.
1 EXPERIENCE
