Toots Zynsky pioneered a unique glassmaking technique, which she termed “filet de verre” (glass thread). She layers thousands of multicolored glass threads onto a flat, heat-resistant fiberboard plate, then fuses this mass of glass threads in a kiln and, wearing special heat-resistant gloves, reaches into the kiln repeatedly to form the glass into a sensuous shape. “You never see the whole composition at once after that,” she explains. “You have to move around the piece. There’s always something mysterious, as the light and your viewing point change.” Her newest vessels use that attention-grabbing quality to highlight the plight of endangered birds, which face new threats from unchecked climate change and growing industrial development.
Toots Zynsky, Sun Conures (2018). Region: South America. Filet de verre (glass thread). Dimensions: 7 1/8″ x 18 1⁄4″ x 7 1/8.” ©Zynsky, 2018. Courtesy of Heller Gallery.
Artist’s Statement:
I grew up surrounded by birds in a woodland and marshland that was a child’s wonderland. Later, as an artist exploring color combinations in glass, I turned to birds’ magnificent plumage for inspiration. But on a recent visit home, I was struck by how few birds remained in my childhood haunts. I began researching and discovered how many species of birds are disappearing or in decline as climate change and development diminish their habitats.
My new glass vessels draw inspiration from the colors/patterning of endangered birds and seem a fitting medium for honoring them. Initially, glassmaking intrigued me because it hadn’t been widely explored as an art medium. There was so much to be discovered! I learned early on that you have to work with glass, you can’t just impose your desires on it because it’s always doing something on its own. When glass is hot, you have to move with it. It goes irretrievably wrong pretty quickly if you make a mistake. That’s not unlike our relationship to our planet. We need to stay attuned to how we impact our environment and make adjustments when things are out of balance – because when species are gone, we can’t recreate them.
Artist’s website: http://www.tootszynsky.com
Read More:
Climate Change: Art & Action Exhibition Opens in Providence
Glass Artist Honors Endangered Birds
