Glass artist and stained glass teacher
Jeanne-Sophie Aas « Neoyookaï »
Born in 1983, Toulouse, France
Located in Oslo, Norway
" I tried many mediums before glass, but I could not find the right connection with any of them. I got stuck in front of blank canvas, ceramic made me feel clumsy, wood wasn't appealing, fabric was hanging and lacking consistency. Then, I dared to approach glass. And it felt right.
Working with glass feels like a relationship: a cooperation where we both have needs and limits. We discover and grow together, but we are also able to hurt each other. Hot glass needs to be handled gently while cold glass is hard but fragile. It can break easily, burn you and make you bleed along the way. It's important for me to somehow communicate with the material. Glass is my partner of choice because creation is to me a process that cannot take place without interaction and mutual respect. "
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Education :
Schools: - Riksglasskolan, The National School of Glass of Sweden Design and art glass, 2018-2019 Nordic Program 2 years, 2016-2018 - Le Centre International du Vitrail, Chartres France, 2008 (The International Stained Glass Center) Workshops : - Matthew Szösz, shaping flat glass / Bild Werk Frauenau, 2018 - Aya Oki, S6: Exploration, glass blowing / Pilchuck, 2017 - Jeff Zimmer, painting on glass / Berlin Glas, 2016 - Martin Rosol - Pavel Novák, Cold Construction / CestySkla, 2015 - Michael Endo, Advanced painting with glass / Bullseye NY, 2015 - Anne Petters, pate de verre and hot printing / Berlin Glas, 2015 - Ruth Oliphant, kiln forming / Berlin Glas, 2014 - Neon workshop UK / Berlin Glas, 2014 - Joseph Cavalieri, painting/slik screening on glass/ Berlin Glas, 2013 Related experiences: - Teacher (stained glass, glass painting, fusing) Self organised workshops in own studio, 2 years - Curator for "Skeive Kunstnere" - Pride Art , Oslo Pride Festival (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) |
Art shows :
Solo: - "Identity", PinkyBone and Neoyookaï, Oslo Prosjektrom, 2015 - Artist of the month, Gallery Rebel, Lillestrøm 11.2013 - "Greyscales, colors, ink", S9 Galleri, Oslo 2012 - "Playground on glass", Oslo Prosjektrom, 2011 Selected group shows : - Glass Fashion Show, Corning CMOG, GAS Conference 2016 - BetaKontext, permanent stained glass installation, Berlin 2015 - Glass symposium, Kragerø 2012 - Corpus, S9 Galleri, Oslo 2012 - Animal, S9 Galleri, Oslo 2011 - Design Fiesta, Tokyo Japan, 2011 Memberships: - Norske Kunsthåndverkere - Glass Art Society Grants: Norwegian Crafts / Pilchuck scholarship, summer 2017 Norske Kunsthåndverkere, Travel grant, 2017 |
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Whites I was 19 when I moved from the south of France to Oslo. Discovering the norwegian winter put a strong mark on me. The way snow cracks, the steam in the air, the clear water running under the melting ice. White used to be a simple color, but now it's a fascination. From deep opal, to milky whites, to absolute transparency: I see a subtle playground and an exciting range of possibilities. White shades can enhance one another, but it must be done in a controlled and balanced way that demands meticulous research. |
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Stained glass
My stained glass panels often represent female characters caught in a moment of moving, shifting or floating. I like to explore the serenity of the state in between during time of change. It illustrates our attempt to stay calm and in control in an ever changing society getting louder and faster each day. Stepping aside the mosaic style of traditional stained glass, I prefer blank spaces and simplicity in my designs. I use backgrounds of clear glass and graphic layouts to keep the image humble, almost naked, emphasizing the characters. |
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Texture
The medium of glass is wonderful for investigating surface work. I love contrasts between mat and blank that invites the viewer to move around in search of changing reflections. When pushing deeper in the material, we find a fantastic field to explore depth, levels of transparency and games of shadows. I found it essential to examine objects by hand. Touch gives a complementary understanding of what we see by allowing a sense of weight, shape and relief. Texture creates exciting visual effects in glass but it also gives a certain life to the material that triggers the eager to touch it. Most people have a tendency to step away from glass in fear of breaking it, so I want to incite them to approach, to touch and to experience it in a more intimate way. |
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