Connecting people across borders with glass art - Meet Ivanka
/Meet Ivanka…
Ivanka Pašalić works with glass in Zagreb, Croatia through her foundation “Stakleni svijet” or “Glass world” The studio space is a place where people gather to create ceramics, glass and community.
Ivanka in her glassblowing studio in zagreb, croatia
She has recently taught refugee girls and women from Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan how to make glass art. The pieces they create are then displayed in the gallery space next door. I had the joy of visiting her studio space and learning about her journey in art and their current exhibition "Nomad Glass: Connecting people across borders with glass art" which was co-financed by the Embassy of the Republic of France. An excerpt from her website describes this project in more detail below.
on of the students preparing her blown glass pieces for exhibition
“Our project “Nomad Glass: Connecting people across borders with glass art” is included in the education of asylum seekers and asylum seekers on shaping and blowing glass. Five women attended a 60-hour burner glass processing course. The skills they mastered included intensive education on glass making, glass blowing, and burner glass modeling.
In addition to education on this traditional skill, the workshop addressed topics such as the history of glassmaking, environmental protection and glass waste management, social cohesion, and the preservation and respect of the traditions of intangible cultural heritage.
The aim of the project was to acquire a new skill of making glass on a burner. Through this workshop, participants were trained to work independently and create their own art in glass with the aim of improving their employability and integration. At the end of the project, the participants showed their works at the final exhibition in the gallery of the Living Atelier DK.”
Blown glass jewelry proudly shown at exhibition in Zagreb Croatia
To help contribute to this amazing work she is doing we brought raw glass and tools donated by Mountain glass arts out of Asheville, North Carolina.
She also holds regular workshops, teaching the basic techniques used in flame working. You can sign up for one here https://hr.airbnb.com/experiences/252954
To contact Ivanka or learn more about her work stakleni.svijet@gmail.com
