For Jo Tricker, glassmaking combines her love for science and art. Both were always a big part of her family – her mum was a fine arts painter and puppet maker, her dad loved writing and history, while Jo herself worked in medical laboratories. In glassmaking she found a perfect balance between aesthetics and technical approach.
She uses kilns, moulds and a gas torch to create her artworks. It requires a lot of practice, patience and attention to detail.
“There is a lot to think about! Do you have the right heating and cooling cycles? How do the shape and thickness of your piece affect the timing and intensity of your heating cycle? How are the colours of the glass going to perform in different temperatures?”
To perfect her skills, Jo used to travel to Whanganui to attend 5-day Claudia Borella glass workshops for seven years, and also attended classes in Whangārei, Hamilton and Auckland. She now runs her own weekly workshops where people learn to make glass beads. This year she plans to launch a new class – Hot Glass Sculpting with Flowers and Leaves.
jotrickerglass.com
@jo_tricker_glass