Homo Faber logo
Riga, Latvia

Vineta Groza

Glass sculptor

Preserving glass art traditions

  • Vineta is a professor at the Art Academy of Latvia
  • She aims to inspire younger generations
  • For her, traditions are the basis of the present

Vineta Groza knows a lot about glass. She masters many techniques, which she passes on to the new generation of glass artists at the Art Academy of Latvia. She was and still is inspired by the materiality of glass, the variety of its applications and its functionality. This passion led her to choose the career of a glass artist. Vineta not only teaches younger generations and creates glass art herself, she is also one of the founders of the Glass Art and Studies Centre, which continues the historical idea of a glass workshop and promotes the craft of glassmaking, creating educational exhibitions that provide an insight into the latest achievements in Latvian glass art.


Interview

©Vineta Groza
©Jānis Deinats
Where did you train?
The basis of my education and my initial training in handicrafts came from my grandmother, the knitter Alma Tavare, as well as my mother Aina Groza, who was a weaver and a knitter. So I can say that the basis of my education is my family.
Where do you find inspiration?
For me, it is important to create sketches, which are an indispensable element in the creation of a work of art, especially in glass art. In the field of literature, a sketch is sometimes called an essay or a draft of a literary work, and that's also what I call my sketchpads.
How would you define what you do?
I preserve existing traditions in glass arts and crafts, while teaching and inspiring the younger generation not to lose or ignore them. I am a teacher.
How does tradition influence innovation?
Nowadays, tradition is not a fashionable word, unlike new terms like sustainability. Traditions balance instability and protect against radical changes. The past is the basis of the present, hence traditions are the basis of everything that is happening now. So, innovations based on traditions will be sustainable.
Vineta Groza is a master artisan: she began her career in 1990 and she started teaching in 2000

Where


Vineta Groza

Address: Grēcinieku iela 18, 1050, Riga, Latvia
Hours: By appointment only
Phone: +371 25909630
Languages: Latvian, English, Russian

Find Vineta Groza in the itinerary

Riga: a historic brush with craftsmanship
1 location
This 8-stop itinerary takes you on a discovery of the pearl of the Baltic, the city of Riga. The capital is home to many craftspeople practising traditional Latvian crafts like woodcarving, weaving, pottery and jewellery making. Wander through the historic old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, and witness how age-old techniques and innovative artisans breathe new life into cherished traditions.

Homo Faber
Receive inspiring craft discoveries
Presented by
Terms of useCookiesCopyrightsPrivacy policyContact info