Vika Šulca

From graphic design to glass

• Vika creates glass design pieces and jewellery
• She set up her Vika Sulca Glass Art in 2017
• She is a graduate of the Art Academy of Latvia

Vika Šulca has both a Bachelor’s degree (2005) and Master’s (2016) from the Department of Glass Art of the Art Academy of Latvia. Between her degrees she worked in graphic design and then went back to glass. Her love for form, modelling and glass as a sculpting material led her to return to her studies in glass, since then she hasn't looked back. Vika’s aspiration was to run her own workshop, be in charge of all the processes and understand how things work upto the smallest detail. In 2017 she opened her own brand, Vika Sulca Glass Art, and started to experiment with fusing glass, glassblowing, and painting glassware.

Interview

©Anna Varnase

©Anna Varnase

What special techniques do you master?

Most of my works and glass design jewellery are created using the glass fusing technique. This technique requires careful and time-consuming manual work. I enjoy the modelling process, where I can work out every fine detail.

Do you have a particular specialisation?

I have mastered both glass and leather processing techniques, and in my jewellery I combine both by creating leather jewellery with fused glass faces and flowers.

How do you combine tradition and innovation in your work?

I work with traditional glass techniques, but innovate through the technical solutions and the combinations of materials. To make glass blown vases, I use plaster forms as an imprint; but for my glass jewellery, I join together fused glass and leather.

Could your craft be considered in danger?

I think the glass industry is becoming more and more popular. The good thing is that today there are more opportunities to collaborate with other professionals in this field, both in Latvia and abroad. Likewise, there are more opportunities to rent a workshop and equipment.

Vika Šulca is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2014

Works

©Vika Šulca

©Vika Šulca

©Vika Šulca

©Vika Šulca

©Vika Šulca

Where