Samantha Stitz, of Hextasy Glass - featured exhibitor at the 2021 Festival Expo

Samantha Stitz (Sam) lives and works in sunny Brisbane, but has displayed her glass art at markets and exhibitions all over Australia. Her first contact with the amazing world of glass was in 2008, when her mother bought a fused dichroic pendant "I was mesmerized!", she says. "I'm fascinated by its different colours and by the different glass working techniques."

From fusing to lampwork to sculpting

Fusing pendants led her to lampworking (using an oxygen fuelled torch to melt glass) and she started making beads in 2010. From beads, Sam moved on creating glass sculptures, using primarily soft glass. " Soft glass can be a bit temperamental", she says, especially when you are working on large pieces. So I talk nicely to it! I design my sculptures as collections of individual components, to avoid changes in temperature stressing the glass as I assemble the components into the finished sculpture."

 

More recently, Sam has added enamelling copper to her repertoire of techniques. "This is lots of fun to do", she says, "especially in the summer months in Brisbane as it can get very hot and humid - not suitable for spending hours at the torch!"

 

Building community

Sam's new to MadeIt, but she's thrilled to be part of their community. "We all need to support the market for crafts that are handmade in Australia, especially in our currently uncertain world", she says, "There is just so much talent and inspiration out in the community. I'm happy when someone adopts one of my pieces, so I'm happy to support other artists when I'm looking for gifts and homewares."

 

Let's give Sam the final word: "Over the years, glass has brought me so much joy and taught me great patience, perseverance and humility. Not everything you try will work the first time, but practice and hard work will always get you where you want to be. I am largely self-taught, but in the past few years I have attended the amazing workshops by glass masters at the Festival of Glass; and I enjoy teaching and sharing what I do. I hope that you will enjoy my passion as much as I do."