Artist of the Month
December 2019
Veruska Vagen
Veruska Vagen’s art is a fusion of her inquisitive, experimental studio practice and an abiding interest in art history. Honoring mosaic tradition, her innovative dot de verre technique offers a modern interpretation executed in fused glass. Primarily working in portraiture and often drawing imagery from art historical sources, Vagen’s intricately composed images evoke both pixilation and pointillist aesthetics. She is represented by LewAllen Galleries, Santa Fe, NM.
Click on each photo to the right for a full picture.
At The Dressing Table, 1909, after Severbryakova; 2010; 13 x 15 inches; fused glass
Beethoven, 1820, after Stieler; 2012; 17 x 11 inches; fused glass
Francesco, 1549, after Tintoretto; 2012; 16.25 x 10.25 inches; fused glass
Starry Night, 1889, after van Gogh; 2012; 17.25 x 17.25 inches; fused glass
Ophelia, 1905, after Waterhouse; 2011; 19 x 11 inches, fused glass
Mozart, 1819, after Kraft; 2010; 16 x 10.5 inches; fused glass
Veruska Vagen
Artist Statement:
“Throughout art history, artists have studied the work of the masters who came before. Raphael drew from Michelangelo. Van Gogh painted from Rembrandt and Delacroix. Picasso paid homage to Rubens and Velazquez. The tradition of paying homage through studies of masterpieces served as a tool not only to honor the original work but to become the student of the master as well.
In focusing intently on a revered artwork—perhaps choosing a mere segment to study—one becomes intimately involved, even lost within the piece. The journey of revisiting an image perhaps centuries old and with a different material brings new life to a beloved visage or composition and a fresh way of experiencing it. Exchanging tiny glass dots for paint allows the viewer’s eye to become the palette. The visual mixing of colors thus embraces Seurat and the Pointillists in addition to the great artists of other eras to whom I pay tribute and from which many of my pieces are inspired.
Beyond studies of art through the ages other compelling images, be it a familiar cityscape, special place or old photograph, have found their way to interpretation through the kiln-fired dots as well. As in ancient times, the mosaic technique has been an aesthetic found pleasing to many cultures. Though a centuries-old art form, the use of 3-millimeter glass dots to create a new style of mosaic brings a contemporary feel to an otherwise traditional medium.”
Veruska Vagen: Artist Statement, 2019
About Veruska Vagen
Veruska Vagen studied at the Pilchuck Glass School and later worked at the William Morris Studio compiling visual source material for various studio projects. During this time, Vagen developed what she called the dot de verre technique of kiln-fused glass, involving intricate arrangements of thousands of tiny glass dots. Veruska Vagen’s distinctive, innovative works have been honored with numerous awards and exhibited at galleries and museums across the United States.
Click here for an artist's resume.
Acknowledgment of Gallery:
We are grateful to LewAllen Galleries, Santa Fe, New Mexico, for providing the Artist of the Month.
The Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to further the development and appreciation of art made from glass.
The Alliance informs collectors, critics and curators by encouraging and supporting museum exhibitions, university glass departments and specialized teaching programs, regional collector groups, visits to private collections, and public seminars.
