American master glass artist Morgan Madison makes first visit to Whanganui

American glass artist Morgan Madison held a masterclass in Whanganui while making his first visit to New Zealand. Photo / Bevan Conley

Claudia Borella Glass Design in Whanganui East regularly hosts glass artists from around the world to teach local practitioners.

The most recent visitor was American glass artist Morgan Madison from Seattle who taught an eight-day masterclass on his unique and animated style of glass art.

Borella said the course was made possible by the Creative New Zealand Creative Communities Scheme.

"They assisted with half the cost of Morgan's airfare," she said.

Madison works with the US-developed Bullseye kiln-glass distributed in New Zealand by Borella and his beautifully coloured flat and three-dimensional works are inspired by his surroundings.

"I've been sharing tips and tricks and encouraging the group to go as big as they want to go.

"They have been quick to pick up the techniques and tailor them to suit their own voices."

Students were adding powdered glass to their designs using a process similar to screen printing.

Participants learned to work with powdered glass in Morgan Madison's Whanganui masterclass. Photo / Bevan Conley

Helen Cawie from Wellington was working at adding a continuous pattern over a series of multiple small glass pieces.

"I have set myself a real challenge here," she said.

"It takes a lot of concentration but I'm loving it."

Madison said he never set out to become a glass artist and stumbled into working with the medium by chance.

"I studied at Lewis and Clark College in Portland where I majored in drawing and received a BA in studio art."

After he graduated, Madison took a job in the "fiery depths of a glass factory" where his interest in the medium began.

"I tried glass blowing and quite liked it but drawing was my first love and realising that I could interpret my surroundings by fusing glass was a wonderful discovery.

"I became enchanted with the raw material."

His enchantment carried him into teaching others and he says nine people is the ideal class size.

"When you get up to 12 it becomes too many."

In eight days, his New Zealand students were taken through the processes of designing, cutting, fusing, powder printing, annealing and firing their works so they left with the ability to use the techniques in their own studios.

"What I love about teaching is that I always learn something new as well."

He now tries to achieve a balanced life of working on his own pieces alongside teaching and travelling.

"It's my first visit to New Zealand and my wife and I will be touring the country in a campervan.

"I couldn't come this far without doing some exploring."

Claudia Borella is herself an internationally renowned glass artist and her works are included in many galleries around the world as well as private collections, including that of Sir Elton John.