AS IS | Vladimíra Klumpar

Artist

From Rychnov nad Knežnou, Czechia

Based in Czechia, Mexico, and Portugal

Vladimíra Klumpar is a glass artist that has worked and achieved success in Czechia as well as abroad. Her works, made from colorful glass, are dynamic, elemental, and ever-changing, just like water, which served as her primary source of inspiration during her glassmaking beginnings

A: Please, tell us a bit more about yourself. What brought you to art?

V: Illustrations in children’s books, those stimulated my imagination first. I loved drawing and being creative. At fifteen, I wanted to go to an art school. The closest one was in Železný Brod and glass-oriented, which brought me to glassmaking.

I grew up surrounded by beautiful nature and spent a lot of time by the river; I was fascinated by water. I often watched the reflections of light and trees, the changing colors of water and depth perspectives. Later I realised that glass is as close as it gets to water. It became my mode of self-expression and I eventually studied it under professor Libenský at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague.

I had a beautiful, peaceful childhood in East Bohemia. Following my studies and years of living in Prague, I moved to the US to my husband. I lived in Massachusetts and often stayed in New York. Later we’d spent a lot of time in Mexico where I have a house and a studio to this day.

Due to my mother’s health problems I returned to Czechia. I live in Prague but because of glass I spend most of my time in North Bohemia.

Another one of my European homes is in Portugal, that one’s the “closest” to my Mexican one which I miss sometimes and which I can’t visit a lot these days because of my mother. But I feel that soon I’d like to settle and live in one place. I’m just not sure I’ll manage to; my suitcase is always ready.

A: What inspires you the most?

V: Nature. At the same time, architecture in large cities.

A: Do you have any specific rituals while working (creating)?

V: I don’t have any special rituals. The technology I use is complex and my sculptures take a while to be made. So I’m constantly starting new things, some are in the process of being created, and some are being finished.

A: What would you recommend to someone new to art (an artist or just an admirer), what to begin with?

V: To study nature with humility and let it influence you, let all its elements inspire you and employ your imagination. Someone associates that with situations and settings they draw from and that they interpret their own way.

A: Your top 3 phrases/words related to art?

V: Form, color, light.

A: Your favorite Czech artists?

V: I don’t have anyone specific. I admire everything that’s good.

A: What piece of art do you think embodies the Czech national spirit and culture? Why?

V: I suppose that’s generational. Josef Lada, whose illustrations symbolised the Czech landscape and tradition; he accompanied many generations of children. But that’s a bit of a lost world now. I also like the Czech Gothic.

What’s interesting is that Czech glass, which represented the Czech culture at world expos, influenced studio glass all over the world.

A: How do you like to start conversations about art? How can we form connections with others through art?

V: By sharing an opinion on a work of art. A positive one if possible. Ideally rejoice in it.

A: Where can we meet you most often?

V: That’s a hard question. I have multiple homes around the world. I seek inspiration wherever I find myself in the moment.

Right now, these ideas originate from the Czech glass, in little villages among hills above Železný Brod, where I work and collaborate with my team.

A: Please, share your favorite quote or idea (not necessarily related to art):

V: Since glass is delicate, expensive, and often breaks in the process, I always remember my grandma who used to say: “Don’t worry about it, stuff always happens when you’re alive.”

And due to my age - recently I heard something from the Czech architect Eva Jiřičná her mom apparently used to say: “Anyone can be young. But ageing, that’s art.” :-)

Thank you!

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