A Tale of Forest Glass

Inspired by medieval forest glass, this work reflects a period when glassmakers in Central and Northern Europe had limited access to the soda-rich plant ashes imported through Mediterranean trade and used by Venetian glassmakers. While Venice tightly controlled the export of glassmaking materials and technical knowledge, glassmakers further north relied on locally available wood and fern ash to produce glass.

The contrast between clear polished glass and a cloudy, bubble-filled interior references the difference between high-quality Venetian glass and the imperfect character of forest glass. Imprints of wood and fern point to the materials that made its production possible, while also drawing attention to the environmental cost of a practice that depended on extensive deforestation.