Meet Iwona Koziel Glass
Meet stained glass artist Iwona Koziel, who works from her studio in Dunblane, Scotland. Inspired by nature and the shifting beauty of light, Iwona creates jewellery, home décor and festive pieces that bring a touch of colour and magic to everyday life.
Tell us a bit about your background and why you started your creative business.
My name is Iwona and I am a Polish-born stained glass designer-maker. I live in Dunblane, Scotland, with my wife and our four-year old son. My journey with stained glass began about 10 years ago. I was initially interested in stained glass as a form of therapy. I was looking for something creative as well as physical to help me take my mind off things. I have always lived with anxiety and depression, but at the time stained glass knocked at my heart’s door, I was going through a particularly tough time, which in turn resulted in needing to put many aspects of my life on hold, including my career in social care.
Stained glass was literally lifesaving. It gave me a mental break when I needed it most. I invested a little money in basic stained glass materials and tools and started teaching myself the craft by watching videos and online tutorials. What sparked my interest was the material itself. I was, and still am, mesmerised by the way stained glass can change depending on light and exposure to different environments. In some way, it resembles my personal experiences of change that have been taking place in my own mind and soul.
At the time I started learning about stained glass and practising different techniques, I never anticipated the journey would continue beyond the four walls of my little home studio. But through the huge support of people who saw my potential, I gained confidence and belief to gradually start showing my work to more people, who helped me see that my work was of value.
On my journey to stained glass, I took many roads in search of an occupation that would be stimulating and fulfilling in the ways that would feel right for me. I arrived in Scotland in 2004 when I took a year off from my studies in Poland, heading to Edinburgh for a gap year. I wanted to travel Scotland and improve my English. I have a vivid memory of waking up early in rural Scotland on the overnight coach from London and how I felt transported into this otherworldly place with barren, moody, and majestic land that reminded me of nothing I had seen before or since. Instantly, it made a huge impact, and I felt connected to this rugged land. When I returned to Poland to complete my Masters I had already made a decision to come back to Scotland, it had begun to feel like home, and that’s where I wanted to be. I moved to Edinburgh, where I worked for about 10 years in social care supporting vulnerable adults with complex needs. I made my community here, with friends for life, I met my wife and it is where we had our son four years ago. We still live in Scotland, but now in the beautiful city of Dunblane, a gorgeous place with a rich art history and surrounded by nature.
What do you make and how would you describe your style?
I make stained glass jewellery and ornamental home decor, as well as larger architectural commissions. I am very passionate about the natural environment and working sustainably. Some of my work is made from the small off-cuts of stained glass and found objects like sea glass and driftwood. My return customers have said how they love to own a piece of work that is made from stained glass, traditionally associated with large, heavy leaded pieces. My pieces are mostly made using the Tiffany technique (copper foil technique), which gives me more creative freedom and allows me to use materials in a more sustainable way. I would describe my style as minimalist with clean lines but a good dose of colour and texture to get your dopamine flowing.
What inspires your work?
I am mostly inspired by nature, and Scotland, where I live, offers diverse landscapes in abundance. Wherever I can, I take solace in walks, whether it is rambling in hills, or along the coast. Driftwood and sea glass are found objects that sparked my interest, and I often incorporate them into my marine and nautical designs.
Although I’m inspired by the work of many classical stained glass artists, I have huge respect for the many contemporary stained glass artists who share their work and knowledge on social media. Some of the top names are: Jennifer Hacket from @glassbybutler, Flora Jamieson from @theroundwindow, Kate Bujanda, @ryesglass, Simon Howard from @simonhowardglass, Carolyne Heppenstall from @lumie.glass, just to name a very few. And I admire all the women who have taken up space, producing absolutely outstanding pieces of work in stained glass, material that has for so long been associated with the work of men.
Tell us about your creative process
I really love the wide range of creative and physical processes involved in designing and making objects from stained glass. Each part of the process has its own rules and involves a different set of skills. I usually start by drawing a sketch of an idea. After selecting the right piece of glass and deciding where to place cut-out shapes of the design, I draw around the shape with a waterproof sharpie marker.
The next step is very exciting and quite unpredictable when I score the glass with a glass ‘cutter’ to prepare it for breaking. In this stage, I have to make sure the shape is cut out intact, which sometimes can prove a little tricky. Different glass has different thickness and textures and responds to scoring in a different way, and sometimes it takes a few attempts to get the final shape out of glass.
Once I have the shape ready, I then use an electric glass grinder to remove the sharp edges. A good wash of the ground piece is essential to ensure the glass edges are clean and free of any grinding residue, which can stop copper foil sticking to the glass. I then apply copper foil around, then solder the foiled pieces together.
The final stage is to apply patina before cleaning and polishing a piece. It’s hard to tell how much time this all takes. It’s very much dependent on the size of the project and the number of elements. But whether it is a piece of jewellery, a small ornament, a hanging or a standing piece of work, the process is quite complex and takes hours and sometimes days to complete.
What’s your workspace or studio like?
My studio is located in the heart of Dunblane, in a building called Burgh Chambers. It was built in 1901 for Dunblane Town Council and served various functions, all significant in Dunblane’s civic history. Most recently, the building has been occupied by Creative Dunblane – a community initiative run by local people voluntarily – whose aim is to serve the community by providing co-working spaces and creative activities. My studio is on the top floor and has two main workspaces: a workbench with easy access to my stained glass library and tools, and a desk that I use for drawing, creating digital content for social media, and packing my orders.
I used to work in a very small space at home, but since moving to a studio space, I gained not only access to a bigger and brighter room where I can work more freely, but also a community of people working together. I value flexibility of coming to work when I can and a separate working environment away from home.
What’s your favourite thing to make – and why?
I love working on a variety of different projects that take me on different creative journeys. Recently I’ve been really enjoying making stained glass Christmas baubles from both iridescent and ‘frosted’ stained glass. There are two 2D hanging designs I have been working on for Christmas. These decorations have traditional Christmas tree bauble shapes with a contemporary feel. The glass that I use for these decorations is so beautiful. The iridescent lightly textured stained glass reminds me of water ripples and I love the element of surprise when iridescence appears on the surface of the bauble with movement and light and shade. The other stained glass that I used for the same designs has a very wintery feel with textures that bring back memories of snowy Christmas in Poland with frost, ice crystals and icicles hanging off the roofs of buildings. It’s a very nostalgic feeling that I managed to recreate in those decorations. A little bit of festive magic for everyone.
What’s something people might not know about your craft or the skills involved?
Sometimes clients who don’t have experience with stained glass ask me how I make the colours and ask if it washes off. The colour stain on the glass is permanent and can’t be washed off or faded. I buy sheets of glass that has already been produced that way, usually by hand using a variety of complex techniques. I would recommend Creative Glass Guild in Bristol as a supplier of amazing stained glass for any other makers on the lookout.
What does creativity mean to you?
When I think about creativity, I think of sharing a little bit of myself with other people. It’s another way of communicating. Creativity focuses my mind and takes me away from whatever goes on internally or outside that can be distracting. I am most productive when I engage in a creative process.
What does Christmas look like for you?
At our home, we integrate Polish and British festive traditions. We always celebrate Wigilia, Polish Christmas Eve. It’s a festive supper with lots of regional dishes that are often only served on that day. My family and friends’ favourite is Barszcz, spicy beetroot clear soup served with mushroom dumplings. We also have a tradition of having extra seating at our festive table. It means that our door is open to anyone who might be in need of a friendly and warm home at Christmastime.
Do you have any festive products you’re particularly proud of this year?
My Christmas tree stained glass baubles that can be purchased individually or as sets.
Which three Folksy things are you buying for, or Folksy shops are you buying from, this Christmas – or would love to receive?
There are so many talented people selling on Folksy and I have loads items saved in my wish list. If I have to choose three, they will be:
- One of the Weewoolies triangle scarves for myself, as my birthday is coming up in December, I have been admiring Emily’s work for a while. It looks very inviting and cosy, and I love the feel of merino wool.
- HooperHart – I adore Cal’s Dioramas with their depth and touch of folklore mystique. I think my son would really appreciate them too.
- Ceramicso‘s Boob Mug – I like all of their products, but the boob mug is my favourite, and they come in some many different sizes, just like boobs! And what a great idea to celebrate boobs in this way.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone thinking about starting a creative business?
Don’t give up and don’t be afraid of making mistakes, as they are part of being human. Mistakes can open the door to learning new skills and teach you about yourself. Although it is not always easy to see value in them, I embrace them as part of a creative learning process.
What is a quote you live by?
“Happiness is only real when shared” is a quote that keeps returning to me. These words are taken from American Adventurer, Christopher McCanndles. I remember seeing an autobiographical movie about Christopher’s travels and search of life’s meaning that took him to deep Alaska, where he lived and died alone. Through what seemed like a desperate search for happiness in uninhabited land, he realised that true happiness can only be found in experiences that are shared with others. This quote and how it resonates with me doesn’t aim to devalue moments of joy and content experienced alone as they are very real. My interpretation of these words and what they mean to me is that the most profound moments of happiness I have ever felt were in the presence of other people, experienced personally and professionally. When it comes to my work, the most satisfying, fulfilling, and joyful moments are those of my clients expressing the happiness that my work brings them. They are priceless and very gratifying.
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