Martin Janecky

 

Q. So who is Martin Janecky?

He is 31 years old glassblower/sculptor/teacher who lives in Prague, Czech Republic, working and part living in Fairbanks, Alaska, traveling and teaching all over the world :) Loving his craft.

 

 

Q. Where in the world are you from?

I’m from Czech Republic, growing up in different part’s of Czech, while we were moving from place to place with parents for they job’s in Different Glass Factories.  

 

 

Q. When did you decide to become a maker?

I don’t think I ever decided to become a maker, I just did it.  Working in Glass and making things became my life at an early age, and my unwavering desire to master the material kept me engaged in the process until it was my way of life.

Q. What made you choose the materials that you work with?

I start blowing glass in my father’s factory, I was 13 years old,.   I was never pushed into to glass, but it was always around me. When I was 13, I spent every day in his factory. As a kid,  I was most interested in hanging out there because it was like to be an member of big family.  I never questioned why glass,  once i start, i never stopped. 

 

Q. What other materials would you like to work in?

I must say i never have worked seriously with any other material other  that glass but I last 3 years i start to paint just for fun and relaxation also  photography; it allows me to capture small moments around me that might otherwise go unnoticed.

 

Q. Where do you get your inspiration from?

As you can see in my work, I loved the circus and circus theme.  It continually inspires me.  I enjoy trying to capture the movement and expression in glass; a material that is constantly moving, and can imitate a living thing.  Conversely, if there is a form that I am uninspired by, I lose interest in the material and it becomes very difficult to work on.

 

Q. Can you tell us a bit about your working process?

  I use a technique of glass sculpting that was developed maybe 15 - 20 years ago that combines traditional glass working techniques with contemporary tools and methods that allow me to sculpt the inside of the bubble as well as the outside. After I'm done with a rough shape of the piece i open one side of the bubble and using torches to preheat parts of the piece i start going inside the bubble and sculpt what ever I'm working on. I work from the inside as as well as on the outside. pushing and pulling the material where ever i want it to go. 

 

 

 

Q. What motivates you?

Just being able to do what i do better. Every time i work on some series i find new things, little techniques, Little tricks, that i trying to apply to the next thing i do and pushing the idea to reality. 

 

Q. Do you create your work in a studio base or a home base?

I currently make work out of a studio in Fairbanks AK, and while gaff or teaching workshops at various schools such as Penland School of Craft, Corning Museum of Glass and Pilchuck Glass School.  During the time that I am not working I  spend time at home in Prague.

 

Q. How do you sell and promote your work?

I am fortunate enough to be represented by Habatat Gallery in Michigan, so within the US, they are responsible for scheduling shows and selling my work. 

Q. What does your typical working day look like?

I wake up at 5.30am and get started.  I consider this the beginning of my workday because although I am not in the studio yet, I am thinking about the work I will make. Once I get to the studio, it takes about an hour for all the equipment to get hot, during that time I set up the torches and prepare for the day.  Once I gather my first bit of glass, I spend the next 4 to 5 hours making parts.  I may make the arms and head of a figure, or other smaller adornments that will complete the final sculpture.  After lunch, I blow and sculpt the main figure and attach all the components, which usually takes me another 3 to 4 hours.   After that I clean up the studio and go get some dinner. 

Q. 3 words of advice for an aspiring Craft artist/maker...

Follow Your Passion; only make things that you are passionate about, if you compromise your creativity for financial gain, or anything else, the work loses integrity.  At that point the work is nothing more than a job; difficult, non expressive, and bland. 

 

 

Q. Who is/are your favourite artist(s)/maker(s)?

there is so many but I admire the work of Frantisek Tichy (1896 - 1961), a Czech painter and printmaker.  From the artists today is sculptor Tony Cragg, painters Petr Nikl, Michal Ozibko, in glass Preston Singletary, Ivan Mares, Martin Blank.

 

Q. 3 likes and dislikes?

1.Art in general in any form,  good friends, life

Dislikes:

Lazy people, long flights and bad drivers.

 

Q. What do you do to relax?

When I'm at work i work all the time or i travel to teach or visit different schools and glass museums. i try to schedule my year so can spend time at home in Prague, that's where i relax, i hang out with friends, seeing music and theatre and drinking beer at the pub  "U Parlamentu” :-)