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© Murdo McDermid
© Shannon Tofts
© Juli Boloños-Durman
© Laura Meek

Juli Bolaños-Durman

  • Glass sculptor
  • Edinburgh, United Kingdom
  • Rising Star
Juli Bolaños-Durman Glass sculptor
© Vivian Sarky

Telling stories with glass

  • • Juli loves to give discarded waste a second life
  • • The vibrant colours of the tropics influence her creations
  • • Her studio is based in a centre for design and collaboration

With a background in graphic design, Costa Rican artisan Juli Bolaños-Durman pursues her passion for glass in Scotland, where she acquired a master’s degree at Edinburgh College of Art. Juli approaches the medium of glass with a fresh and versatile vision, repurposing found objects and transforming them into precious artefacts that tell a story. “Everyone loves glassblowing,” she says, “but when it comes to glass cutting and engraving it’s a much slower, more meticulous and not as cinematographic craft. So fewer people are inclined to specialise in this technique, also considering the expense of having to own a cutting lathe and have access to a studio that has the proper wheels. I consider myself very lucky.”

Read the full interview

Works

  • © Shannon Tofts
  • © Shannon Tofts
  • © Shannon Tofts
  • © Shannon Tofts
  • © Shannon Tofts
Photo: © Shannon Tofts
Luna Tierna from the Wild Flower collection

This sculptural glass form has been built from pieces of recycled glass, blown glass and cut glass. Juli Bolaños-Durman’s glass sculptures in the Wild Flowers collection personify a story of potential and renewal, becoming beacons for social change. The 21 sculptures in the series embody the rich, raw and bountiful nature of wildflowers and our natural environment. They are brought to life by deconstructing discarded glass, reconfiguring the elements through play and embellishing them with hand cut details.

Length 9 cm
Width 9 cm
Height 26 cm

Photo: © Shannon Tofts
Matita Fern, Snail Eight, Gem Cascade, Alas & Cañoncito from the Ode to Intuición series

This set of sculptural glass forms are part of Juli Bolaños-Durman's Ode to Intuición series of 60 non-functional vessels. The series came into existence through an exploration of the notion of preciousness. For Juli, preciousness is not simply the value or quality of the work but also the creative process that leads to its transformation and final existence. Her intention was to build a sculptural series through the joyfulness of play, an exploration of colour which invites the viewer to become part of the journey.

Length 8 cm
Width 8 cm
Height 17 cm

Photo: © Shannon Tofts
Peacock from the Solace collection

This sculptural glass vessel is part of Juli Bolaños-Durman’s Solace collection. When developing this idea, Juli started to look into lachrymatories, the tiny glass or terracotta vessels found in Roman and late Greek tombs. It is believed that these vessels were used to collect tears when mourning a loved one. Juli considered this is a very symbolic and endearing way to honour the deceased, so with the Solace collection she wanted to create objects that embodied and paid homage to special ideas or souls in people's lives.

Length 6.7 cm
Width 6.7 cm
Height 11.8 cm

Photo: © Shannon Tofts
Flamenco Dress from the Ode to Intuición series

This sculptural glass form is part of Juli Bolaños-Durman's Ode to Intuición series of 60 non-functional vessels. The series came into existence through an exploration of the notion of preciousness. For Juli, preciousness is not simply the value or quality of the work but also the creative process that leads to its transformation and final existence. Her intention for this series was to build a sculptural series through the joyfulness of play, an exploration of colour which invites the viewer to become part of the journey.

Length 12 cm
Width 12 cm
Height 20 cm

Photo: © Shannon Tofts
Bonnet, Flamenco Dress & Napoleon Zafiro from the Ode to Intuición series

This series of three sculptural glass forms are part of Juli Bolaños-Durman's Ode to Intuición series of 60 non-functional vessels. The series came into existence through an exploration of the notion of preciousness. For Juli, preciousness is not simply the value or quality of the work but also the creative process that leads to its transformation and final existence. Her intention was to build a sculptural series through the joyfulness of play, an exploration of colour which invites the viewer to become part of the journey.

Length 12 cm
Width 12 cm
Height 20 cm

Enjoy an experience with Juli Bolaños-Durman

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