Layla Dahlia | Layla Walter

Artist Statement:

Having cast glass for 30 years, this work reflects a recent jump in my technical and conceptual practice. Supported by Creative New Zealand, I worked out a way to avoid wax in the design stage. Eliminating the need for wax steam out, thereby enabling molds and glasswork to go up in scale. Molds now made in two parts give greater access to the internal walls of the vessel - so I can apply pattern in a new way and introduce the human form for the first time into my work at scale.

At 46cm across, and up to forty-five kilograms in the casting, these are the largest I have made. The seed to these advancements happened due to alternate thinking space and lack of studio access during the 2020 lockdowns. Utilising basic materials at hand like playdough to make body impressions. There is a surreal nature to the over scaled flowers and allusive body parts floating on the inside of this glass bowl - befitting the disjointed experience and suspension of life as usual which lockdowns provided. It took two years to test the evolution of my process. 

‘Layla Dahlia’ is the result and a new starting point. The videos of the making of this series were on show across Australia in the Makers Film Festival 2023. This work was a finalist in the 2024 FUSE Glass Prize and exhibition which toured across Australia.

‘Layla Dahlia’ #5, cast glass 2023

Height 365mm Diameter 460mm

Citrine coloured Reichenbach glass

Freight to be arranged upon purchase.