Fabrizia Bazzo
Stained glass maker
Ilminster, United Kingdom
Light crafted through adorned glass
- Fabrizia works with different techniques, such as acid etching and enamel painting
- Her work draws on a rich visual heritage, tradition and her studio’s natural surroundings
- She laminates glass using silicones, which were developed to fix solar panels on spacecraft
Italian-born Fabrizia Bazzo’s fascination with glass began at a very young age. While attending mass with her family, she used to observe and admire the old stained glass windows. “They were a beautiful distraction from the religious ceremonies, sparking my curiousity to learn how they were made," Fabrizia explains. After spending 22 years working in an admin role, she moved to England in search of a new career and attended a foundational course in art and design, then graduated with a BA in fine art at Plymouth University. Despite her appreciation and practice of traditional techniques, Fabrizia is attracted to new materials and methods developed by modern technology. For example, she experiments with silicones originally developed for spacecraft solar panels and thermochromic liquid crystals that change colour with temperature.
Discover her work
INTERVIEW
I have always been fascinated by glass. It is a versatile material, and its intrinsic qualities, combined with the constant interplay with light, provide many creative approaches. When stained glass is installed in an architectural context, it changes the mood of the space. It comes to life because of the constant changing of natural light, filtered by the stained glass. Working with glass means always working with light.
I combine a mix of techniques and processes ranging from traditional to cutting-edge, but I choose them based on the quality of the mark I want to achieve. I like to acid etch the glass surface to create texture which I then paint over using pigments and enamels. I love painting on glass as it allows a great deal of freedom to express feelings and add narrative.
In the UK, stained glass has been classified as an endangered craft due to the shrinking economy, high cost of raw materials and the closure of specialised university courses. Keeping this craft alive requires good teaching, private and public commissions, and raising awareness through exhibitions. The disappearance of any heritage crafts and skills results in the loss of a society's culture and history.
My work is innovative through its choice of materials and vision. I do not follow a prescribed pattern. The approach to the design, the visual language and the aesthetic in my work are informed by both traditional and contemporary processes.
Fabrizia Bazzo
Stained glass maker
Ilminster, United Kingdom
ADDRESS
Address upon request, Ilminster, United Kingdom
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
LANGUAGES
English, Italian
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