“Making art is like prayer. Each piece of glass I create is suffused with love and light. Because of my deep desire to shine beauty into the lives of those who collect my work, the creation process is a spiritual practice for me. Every piece of glass that leaves my studio carries a blessing of joy.”
Heather Mettler grew up immersed in the flora, fauna, and ocean of the Kona coast. With its hapu’u ferns, wild ginger, coconut palms, dolphins, sea turtles, rustic lava fields, and exquisite birds, Kona is a magical place she calls home.
Heatherʻs fascination with glass began as a teenager working as an apprentice to an artist specializing in sandblasting.She expanded her glassmaking skills at the Pilchuck Glass School where she studied mosaic design with Felice Nittolo. After learning casting and glass blowing, two techniques that greatly expanded her artistic expression, she graduated with a BFA in Glass from the University of Hawaiʻi.
Working in glass for nearly twenty years Heather is continuously inspired by its versatility, fluidity, and textural capabilities. ” I draw creative energy for my pieces by watching the changing water of the Pacific, which reminds me of the liquid potential of my medium. Glass, just like water, comes to life once it is suffused with light. When working with a piece of glass, I want to know what is hidden beneath the surface. I design and sandblast vessels that allow me to experiment with layers of texture and pattern. I etch each unique vessel, often envisioning a series centered on a common theme. My love of Hawaiian plants and animals, the ocean, and Pacific island cultures plays into every piece I create.”