Collaborative project inspired by the Latvian poet I. Ziedonis:
"All lines of our experience returns to us". The idea to collaborate came directly from the Symposium title, “Glass Connects Us”. Having often collaborated in the past we share an interest in combining painting, sculpture, installation and performance. The symposium offered a rich creative environment for collaboration. Inguna was at Novotny Studios and I was a TGK. We spent time back and forth between the two studios in hopes of creating something that would take us further than either of us could accomplish as individual artists. We could incorporate into the work water jet cutting, kiln forming, hot glass working, painting and even a performative aspect in front of the furnace. We did not have a preconceived idea but rather let the symposium itself provide the opportunity for something experimental and new. We of course had to start somewhere as all art work needs an impetus or call to action. Inguna had a book of poetry and so we decided to begin with a phrase that inspired us. The rest evolved from there by asking “What if”, what if we try this? We did not want to rely on traditional forms of presentation, on single authorship and the aspect of creating a single object. If one were to ask, “What’s next”, we hoped that our approach might provide an answer or if not at least present interesting questions. If glass connects us then what is the nature of this connection? And yes, all experience returns to us and informs what we do next. The poetic phrase seems so appropriate to the situation.