These 5 Artists Turn Glass into Radiant Art
Glass is a material that feels almost magical, born of fire, fragile yet enduring, both transparent and transformative. In the hands of artists, it becomes more than a substance; it becomes a language of light. Every curve, every shimmer, every fragile edge tells a story of balance between strength and delicacy, permanence and impermanence.
For glass artists, the studio is part alchemy, part meditation. They work with molten fire, shifting heat, and patient precision, coaxing something luminous from the invisible. A vessel becomes a memory, a sculpture becomes a voice, and a shard becomes a poem of light and shadow.
At the Arts to Hearts Project, we celebrate creators who shape glass into more than form they shape experience. Their work holds reflections of our lives: fragile yet resilient, clear yet mysterious, grounded yet ethereal. To encounter glass art is to pause, to see the play of light, and to realize that even in fragility there is power.
This week, we will introduce you to brilliant glass artists whose work transforms the everyday into the extraordinary. Through their hands, sand and flame become shimmering worlds that remind us how beauty can be both delicate and enduring, fleeting and timeless.
Dee Monti @montibymonti
Dee Monti is the heart and hands behind MONTI, a delicate world caught between glass and light. Originally rooted in London life, Dee now chases sunsets along the southeast coast, carrying with her a devotion to craft, beauty, and quiet storytelling. From self-taught beginnings to a studio humming with possibility, she launched MONTI in 2015. What began as botanical glassware evolved into stained glass creations made by her singular vision. Each piece is born from a sketch, then measured, cut, soldered, and refined her fingers in every stage, her eyes guiding every hinge of colour.
Dee uses the traditional Tiffany-stained glass technique, transforming simple panes into luminous stories. Her “MONTI Girls” series is especially telling innocent yet intimate portraits of women, often sipping coffee or wine, surrounded by flora, in soft, dreamy hues. These works reflect not just aesthetics but a mood of ease, introspection, and quiet connection. To see a Dee Monti is to see how glass can hold memory. The warmth of a sunrise, the silhouette of a leaf, the hush of domestic ritual they all live in her pieces. She doesn’t merely cut and join glass; she sculpts presence, framing what might otherwise go unnoticed in light and shadow. Dee’s journey is self-guided, deeply personal and speaks not only of skill, but of devotion. Her work invites us to slow down, to look, to feel how light passes through our lives, and to realize that beauty can be held only briefly in something fragile, shining, and true.
Jonas Noël Niedermann @jonas_noel_niedermann
Jonas Noël Niedermann often begins by saying,
“I draw the boundaries of my craft further with every experience. The goal is art”
It’s a simple phrase, yet it carries the weight of a lifetime spent in quiet observation, in dedication to a medium that is at once fragile and endlessly expressive. For Jonas, glass is not just material it is a way to explore the world, light, and the invisible threads that connect form and feeling. Born in St. Gallen, Switzerland, Jonas grew up among the dramatic peaks and valleys of Val Bregaglia. He says that the mountains taught him to notice scale, proportion, and the subtle patterns that repeat in nature. But it was a childhood visit to the Iittala Glass Factory in Finland that truly set his heart alight. The way molten glass danced in the hands of skilled artisans fascinated him, and by the age of fourteen he had begun his first apprenticeship at Glasfachschule in Zwiesel, Germany.
Jonas’s work often carries a sense of weightlessness. A floating line, a curved form, or a modular arrangement can seem suspended, delicate yet deliberate. His pieces reflect his fascination with boundaries, how forms relate to one another, how light transforms perception, and how stillness can hold as much meaning as movement. By observing the interaction between glass, shadow, and reflection, viewers are invited to see beyond the surface, to sense the space around and within each piece. Beyond technique, Jonas’s art is rooted in curiosity and observation. He is attentive to how shapes echo patterns found in nature, how light bends and refracts, and how the interplay of form and emptiness can create both tension and serenity. Through his work, Jonas Noël Niedermann reminds us that glass is more than material; it is a lens through which we can experience fragility, resilience, and the luminous beauty of stillness. In his hands, light is not just reflected; it is guided, held, and transformed into a story that lingers in the mind long after the sculpture is seen.
Rachel Elliott @flyingcheesetoastie
Rachel Elliott’s journey into the world of glass began over twenty years ago when she discovered glassmaking through an evening class. This newfound passion led her to pursue a full-time degree in Architectural Glass at Edinburgh College of Art, graduating with a BA (Hons) in 2007. While she explored various glass techniques, it was the solitary and meticulous processes of kiln-forming that resonated with her, prompting her to establish a dedicated studio space to bring her visions to life. Based in Glasgow, Rachel specializes in kiln-formed glass, a technique that involves heating glass in a kiln to create new forms from particles or fusing enamel surface decoration onto a piece. Rachel’s creative process is deeply rooted in the technical challenges that come with working with glass.
She thrives on the problem-solving aspects of her craft, finding joy in the unexpected outcomes that arise during the creation process. This approach keeps her engaged and continuously learning, pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved with glass. In addition to her artistic endeavours, Rachel is passionate about sharing her knowledge and skills with others. She teaches classes in various glassmaking techniques, offering beginners and enthusiasts the opportunity to explore the medium. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes creativity, experimentation, and the joy of discovery, empowering her students to find their unique voices in the world of glass art. Through her art and teaching, Rachel Elliott reminds us of the beauty found in the details and the joy of discovering new perspectives. Her work is a testament to the endless possibilities of glass as a medium for expression, capturing moments of wonder and transforming them into lasting impressions.
Morgan Gilbreath @morgangilb
Morgan Gilbreath’s work is a quiet meditation on the sacredness hidden in everyday life. Based in Richmond, Virginia, she transforms reclaimed and overlooked materials glass swept from city streets, dust from a Bible factory’s ventilation system, and remnants of liturgical candles into sculptures that feel both timeless and contemporary. Her pieces carry a sense of reverence, encouraging viewers to pause and notice the beauty and history embedded in objects often dismissed or forgotten. Morgan’s journey into glass began at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, where she earned a BFA in Glass alongside a BA in Art History. Her education provided the foundation for a practice that merges craft, narrative, and spirituality. Residencies at the Creative Glass Center of America (Wheaton Arts), Pilchuck Glass School, and the University of Texas Arlington allowed her to refine her skills while exploring how material can convey meaning, memory, and ritual.
Her studio practice is meticulous and thoughtful. Morgan works closely with each material, allowing its history and texture to inform the final form. The resulting sculptures feel alive, resonating with traces of labor, devotion, and transformation. Every piece tells a story of human effort, of overlooked bits, of the sacred quietly present in the everyday.Through her art, Morgan encourages viewers to see potential energy in the overlooked, to recognize meaning in the ordinary, and to reflect on the intersections of labor, faith, and material. In her hands, discarded pieces become objects of presence, history, and contemplation. Morgan Gilbreath’s glass invites us not only to observe, but to feel to recognize the extraordinary within the ordinary, and to carry the sacred into our own daily lives.
Ivan Oozz @ivanoozz
Ivan Oozz’s work brings a sense of wonder, whimsy, and imagination to the medium of glass. Based in Indonesia, he specializes in intricate flameworked glass sculptures, transforming molten material into creatures, characters, and abstract forms that feel alive and full of personality. His art captures the curiosity and playfulness of the natural world, while also exploring surreal and fantastical elements that invite viewers to see beyond the ordinary. Ivan’s journey into glass began with a fascination for the way light, color, and form interact. Over the years, he has honed his craft through dedicated experimentation with flameworking techniques, creating pieces that combine technical precision with imaginative storytelling.
His work reflects both skill and joy. Ivan draws inspiration from nature, pop culture, and the surreal, creating pieces that feel familiar yet transportive. A small glass creature might suggest a moment from a dream; a vibrant colour combination might evoke the energy of life itself. Through this approach, he encourages viewers to pause, explore, and allow their imagination to roam alongside his creations. Ivan’s art has gained attention both locally and internationally, celebrated for its creativity, craftsmanship, and ability to spark delight. In Ivan Oozz’s hands, glass becomes more than material, it becomes a playground, a story, a tiny world to hold, admire, and imagine. His sculptures remind us of the joy of discovery, the beauty of craftsmanship, and the limitless potential of imagination. Each piece invites us to see not only what is, but what could be, turning everyday observation into moments of wonder.
Glass has a way of surprising us. It can be delicate, bold, playful, or quiet, but always alive in the way it catches the light, holds a colour, or tells a story. Each piece in this collection invites us to pause, to look closer, and to notice the care, skill, and imagination poured into every curve, every layer, every shimmer. From whimsical shapes to thoughtful, meditative forms, every creation carries a piece of the artist’s curiosity, patience, and dedication.
Through their work, these artists share more than objects; they share a part of themselves. They inspire us to find wonder in small details, to see the extraordinary in everyday materials, and to feel the quiet magic of something made with care. At Arts to Hearts, we deeply respect and admire the passion, talent, and devotion of these artists. Through their creativity, glass comes alive, reminding us to notice, to feel, and to carry a little piece of their world and their vision into our own.
