Sculptural Glass Art with Marta
Explore Riga, the rising arts hub of the Baltic, with renowned Latvian glass artist Marta. Learn to experiment with glass, creating abstract sculptures using cutting and fusing techniques. Outside, stroll along the Baltic Sea or draw inspiration from the city’s diverse architecture, inventive cuisine, and revitalized museums.
- Snacks, Coffee, & Tea
Pricing
- One Guest
- USD $1185
- Additional guest(s) (max 3)
- USD $480
Meet the Artist
Marta is a Latvian glass artist renowned for her innovative "bubak" glass fusing technique, offering a unique alternative to traditional glass blowing for sculptural forms. Her ingenuity has earned her a place in the prestigious collections of glass and design museums across Europe and Japan.
Her sculptures are geometric and simultaneously poetic. Like a miniature creative deity, she sculpts glass bodies and breathes souls into them, inviting viewers to engage with these alien life forms and contemplate the essence of consciousness and personhood. The meticulous process involves Marta dividing her designs into smaller parts, cutting and fusing them, and connecting the pieces with copper wire to achieve the desired shape.
Marta calls glass a challenging but magical material that will reward you if you work from the heart. She is excited to be able to share her joy with you.
Her sculptures are geometric and simultaneously poetic. Like a miniature creative deity, she sculpts glass bodies and breathes souls into them, inviting viewers to engage with these alien life forms and contemplate the essence of consciousness and personhood. The meticulous process involves Marta dividing her designs into smaller parts, cutting and fusing them, and connecting the pieces with copper wire to achieve the desired shape.
Marta calls glass a challenging but magical material that will reward you if you work from the heart. She is excited to be able to share her joy with you.
VAWAA Includes:
- Your unique contemporary abstract glass sculpture.
- Sketching, drawing and adapting the idea.
- Creating construction and technical drawing.
- Exploring different kinds of glass techniques.
- Basic knowledge about glass cutting and fusing techniques.
- All materials and tools, including glass, paint, wire, and firing.
- Visiting a local sculptor or glass artist, art gallery or museum.
- Walk through the center of Riga to the Art Nouveau district and the Old Town.
- If time and weather permit, a walk by the Baltic Sea.
Explore Rīga
Riga, the New Arts Hub of the Baltic, is a hidden gem known by locals as one of Europe's most beautiful cities. Nestled where the beautiful Daugava River meets the sea, it's often dubbed "the Paris of the North." The twists and turns of history have shaped Riga's character, which unfolds through its traditionally Latvian wooden architecture, medieval old town, Soviet-era buildings, and one of the world's greatest collections of Art Nouveau buildings.
Immerse yourself in the city's parks, savor inventive cuisine, witness a revitalized museum scene, and make sure to explore the central market—the best place to buy fresh fish from the nearby sea. Riga is a must-visit destination that is alive and dynamic yet wonderfully cozy and charming.
Immerse yourself in the city's parks, savor inventive cuisine, witness a revitalized museum scene, and make sure to explore the central market—the best place to buy fresh fish from the nearby sea. Riga is a must-visit destination that is alive and dynamic yet wonderfully cozy and charming.
Additional Details
Riga is lovely city to visit year-round. Each season in Latvia has its own distinct beauty. Marta likes the gray calm of winter, the brightness of autumn, and the vigor of spring. The Ligo festival on June 23-24 is Latvia's major holiday, marked by craft fairs and farmer's markets in Riga and other towns. If possible, don't miss the most exciting craft fair in early June at the Ethnographic Open-air Museum.
For an additional fee, Marta can provide an electrical kit for light sculptures and ship finished artworks to your home.
This session can be adapted for kids 14 years and older. Unfortunately, Marta’s studio has stairs, and is quite narrow, so it may be a difficult space for wheelchair users to access.
Marta speaks Latvian, English, and Russian.
For an additional fee, Marta can provide an electrical kit for light sculptures and ship finished artworks to your home.
This session can be adapted for kids 14 years and older. Unfortunately, Marta’s studio has stairs, and is quite narrow, so it may be a difficult space for wheelchair users to access.
Marta speaks Latvian, English, and Russian.
Guest Reviews
Scottie D., United States
This is my second VAWAA adventure and I can absolutely say that the VAWAA team has chosen and vetted artists with the highest standards. My time with Marta was amazing! Marta is a delight to be with and she is passionate about her craft, her art, her heritage, and her country. From the introduction of the process, the brainstorming discussion of my ideas, to the process of creating my vision in h Read more
Gail M., Croatia
Marta offers a vast amount of information and guides you through the process in a calm manner. She organises the time so you can achieve your aims and have a holiday too.
Alex E., United States
If you have ever thought about learning to work with glass, take this workshop with Marta! She is a wonderfully warm and talented artist, with a lot of patience for beginners in the techniques. I was very intrigued by the translation of my design to the actual piece and very proud of the end result. Marta was welcoming and showed me parts of Riga that I would not have seen on my own, and helped Read more
