Marlene Rose

Aqua Seated Buddha

2024

From the artist: "Marlene Rose is part of the seismic shift in the glass world, away from an emphasis on technique to the realization that all work must stand alone as pure sculptural art. This art just happens to be made in glass, and almost incidentally exploits the rich and unique characteristics of glass to compound its beauty. One is struck by the sheer range of Rose's creations, which run from cool abstraction to figurative spirituality, and thence to vivid and lively invention. Here is a woman in a traditionally male-dominated field. Even so, few artists have the fortitude and technical skill to work at pouring liquid molten glass; the gracious ease of Rose's work belies its fiery birth. What does it take to move an idea into glass? The form, the shape of the piece, must first excite. It must communicate as pure sculpture before the glass adds its blinding beauty. Sand and sweat and fiery flame combine in a dangerous dance of heat and light as Marlene Rose and her team pour the liquid molten glass. Then they carefully lift the poured glass, still fiery hot and swaddled in a layer of sand into the cooling oven. For a week it will slowly cool, and then, and idea of light, be born back into the light..."