Wilma van Rees - The Netherlands

3 x 8.6 x 2.2     The artwork of Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka is a big inspiration to me. Their huge knowledge of flowers and sea creatures and the technical detailed way of making them in glass are very much appealing to me. Thinking of the fact that Leopold is born 200 years ago next year (1822) and could make such beautiful objects in his days is quite remarkable. It was an honour and a challenge to make two medals of these heroes in crystal glass. The advantage of a medal is that there are two sides. So, I can make a portrait at one side and tell something special about that person at the other side. At the back of one medal is Chrysaora hysoscella, compact jellyfish. It is one of the glass models of Blaschka. On the other medal is an apple blossom (Pyrus malus L.). I had the Jellyfish on the medal of Leopold Blaschka because that marks the beginning of their artwork. The flowers came next and that is why the apple blossom is on the medal of Rudolf Blaschka. The artwork is cast, engraved and polished crystal glass together with a standard made of wood and borosilicate glass.