Meet Yafit Haba of Yafit Glass
You can visit her shop here:
http://YafitGlassJewelry.etsy.com
How many years have you worked with glass?
I have been working with glass for the last 15 years. I started with stained glass projects and then learned the glass fusing technique. I'm mostly making fused glass projects but I also enjoy doing stained glass projects combining wires, beads, and metal pieces.
What triggers ideas for new projects?
Most of my items are functional pieces. First I think of the functionality of the piece, how it should look, will it be convenient to use? Then I think about the shape of the piece, I make the mold if needed and then create the glass piece. When I think of the design of my piece I sometimes look at some pictures and clip arts and get ideas for elements that I can include.
For some of the projects I got the idea by looking at the pattern of the glass, the transparency and flowing lines. If for example the glass has the colors and flowing patterns of sky or water I’ll use it to combine those elements in my project.
When do ideas come to you? How often?
Ideas come all the time, some fade away very quickly but some become realized. I get ideas from nature, pictures, ceramic and metal sculpting, talking with friends and even from my students. I try to get out of the limitations of the glass fusing process and think of three dimensional projects, I find it more interesting and challenging.
What percentage of the day do you think about or work on your art?
I think that all of us as artists live our art, we think about it as we open our eyes in the morning till we fall asleep. When I cook I think about glassware because how the meal is served is part of the desire to eat. When I work in my garden I enjoy the flowers and leaves, I think about garden decorations and how to capture the beauty of nature in glass. I don’t have to be working in my studio to think about my art, it’s happening all the time as art is a process.
Do you create daily?
I try to create daily, although in some days the time flies by and I’m still busy with my family and household duties.
How important is it for you to create art?
The art is part of me, it's a way of expressing myself and a very good way to relax. When I don't create for few days I feel that something is missing. I’ve always enjoyed creating, over the years I learned many techniques with different materials: sawing, crochet, wood working, ceramics, mosaics, painting, glass fusing and stained glass. It’s a pleasure when many things around me and in my house are my creations.
Do you feel that choosing the artist’s life has been a sacrifice?
I’m a chemical engineer, I was working with plastic materials for years and gained my PhD in this discipline. I don’t work in my profession and I chose the artist life to be able to spend more time with my family and work flexible hours. I could make much more money if I had been working in my profession and as you all know it’s not easy to make a living as an artist. I think the real question is what your priorities in life are and for me my kids and family are first priority. I’m lucky to have my three wonderful kids and lucky to have my husband who support me in this decision. I strongly believe that if I hadn’t been exposed to materials science my art would have been different so there is nothing to regret.
Describe your studio:
My humble studio is located in the garage. I have two kilns, one for big projects and the other is a 'baby' kiln for jewelry and small projects. I have all the basic tools needed for cutting and grinding. I also have ring saw which my dad bought me as a present recently and I just love it! Since I'm also teaching kids and adult workshops I have shelves loaded with glass sheets, glass beads, stringers and frits so people can choose what they need for their project. I decorated my studio with projects I created or were made by my kids in children workshops. Two big tables located in the middle of the room and I tend to keep it busy and messy when I'm not teaching .
I have a big cupboard where I keep all of my pieces ready for sale before I deliver it to local shops that carry my items. It’s definitely not a fancy studio but I love it, this is my place to experiment and create and it’s only mine.
Tell me something about you:
I was born and raised in Israel with a Jewish identity. The art I make is actually who I am and that is why I do a lot of Judaica. There’s a very wide variety of items that can be included under this category: pictures, mezuzahs, holiday plates, candle holders, menorahs, jewelry, home blessings and more. Some of my pieces are two dimensional and some are three dimensional. I enjoy designing new products with new shapes, for example if I make a menorah, it could be either flat or standing. Flat menorahs can have different shapes and designs but even more challenging are the standing menorahs where you have to think how to make it stand stable and long lasting.
To learn more about my art please visit http://www.yafitglass.com/
I have been working with glass for the last 15 years. I started with stained glass projects and then learned the glass fusing technique. I'm mostly making fused glass projects but I also enjoy doing stained glass projects combining wires, beads, and metal pieces.
What triggers ideas for new projects?
Most of my items are functional pieces. First I think of the functionality of the piece, how it should look, will it be convenient to use? Then I think about the shape of the piece, I make the mold if needed and then create the glass piece. When I think of the design of my piece I sometimes look at some pictures and clip arts and get ideas for elements that I can include.
For some of the projects I got the idea by looking at the pattern of the glass, the transparency and flowing lines. If for example the glass has the colors and flowing patterns of sky or water I’ll use it to combine those elements in my project.
When do ideas come to you? How often?
Ideas come all the time, some fade away very quickly but some become realized. I get ideas from nature, pictures, ceramic and metal sculpting, talking with friends and even from my students. I try to get out of the limitations of the glass fusing process and think of three dimensional projects, I find it more interesting and challenging.
What percentage of the day do you think about or work on your art?
I think that all of us as artists live our art, we think about it as we open our eyes in the morning till we fall asleep. When I cook I think about glassware because how the meal is served is part of the desire to eat. When I work in my garden I enjoy the flowers and leaves, I think about garden decorations and how to capture the beauty of nature in glass. I don’t have to be working in my studio to think about my art, it’s happening all the time as art is a process.
Do you create daily?
I try to create daily, although in some days the time flies by and I’m still busy with my family and household duties.
How important is it for you to create art?
The art is part of me, it's a way of expressing myself and a very good way to relax. When I don't create for few days I feel that something is missing. I’ve always enjoyed creating, over the years I learned many techniques with different materials: sawing, crochet, wood working, ceramics, mosaics, painting, glass fusing and stained glass. It’s a pleasure when many things around me and in my house are my creations.
Do you feel that choosing the artist’s life has been a sacrifice?
I’m a chemical engineer, I was working with plastic materials for years and gained my PhD in this discipline. I don’t work in my profession and I chose the artist life to be able to spend more time with my family and work flexible hours. I could make much more money if I had been working in my profession and as you all know it’s not easy to make a living as an artist. I think the real question is what your priorities in life are and for me my kids and family are first priority. I’m lucky to have my three wonderful kids and lucky to have my husband who support me in this decision. I strongly believe that if I hadn’t been exposed to materials science my art would have been different so there is nothing to regret.
Describe your studio:
My humble studio is located in the garage. I have two kilns, one for big projects and the other is a 'baby' kiln for jewelry and small projects. I have all the basic tools needed for cutting and grinding. I also have ring saw which my dad bought me as a present recently and I just love it! Since I'm also teaching kids and adult workshops I have shelves loaded with glass sheets, glass beads, stringers and frits so people can choose what they need for their project. I decorated my studio with projects I created or were made by my kids in children workshops. Two big tables located in the middle of the room and I tend to keep it busy and messy when I'm not teaching .
I have a big cupboard where I keep all of my pieces ready for sale before I deliver it to local shops that carry my items. It’s definitely not a fancy studio but I love it, this is my place to experiment and create and it’s only mine.
Tell me something about you:
I was born and raised in Israel with a Jewish identity. The art I make is actually who I am and that is why I do a lot of Judaica. There’s a very wide variety of items that can be included under this category: pictures, mezuzahs, holiday plates, candle holders, menorahs, jewelry, home blessings and more. Some of my pieces are two dimensional and some are three dimensional. I enjoy designing new products with new shapes, for example if I make a menorah, it could be either flat or standing. Flat menorahs can have different shapes and designs but even more challenging are the standing menorahs where you have to think how to make it stand stable and long lasting.
To learn more about my art please visit http://www.yafitglass.com/
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