Bloom IX by Aya Oki

This organically shaped work innovatively combines two very different glass techniques. Beginning with canework, strands of multi-coloured glass have been carefully encased in a large bubble made of clear glass. After the initial casing has been created, using a daring glassblowing technique, additional hot glass is attached to the outer surface and, as each globule expands with air, the work is transformed into a cluster of bubbles. The resulting structure imparts optical intrigue, acting as a lens that distorts the canework strands below to create a swirl of colour.