Sonia's Glass Studio

सामान्य जानकारी

Sonia Sareen - Stained Glass Designer, Artist, Sculptor.

When you meet Sonia for the first time, her personality reflects the myriad hues of the glass she so beautifully crafts. Her infectious joie de vivre coupled with a restless passion that fuels her creative gene; leave an indelible impression on your imagination. You want to know more as she urges you to discover your own creative faculties. She proudly asserts that she is always a student, and endeavours to learn and practise a new art form every day. "Babes, the day I stop learning and creating, is the day I die", she says, with a sparkle in her eye.

Sonia has trained in many arts, such as Studio Pottery, Ceramics, Cold Ceramics, Stained Glass, Mosaics, Figurative Glass Paintings, Fusing & Slumping and Metal Sculptures. She is perhaps best known for her exquisite work in stained glass and a designer par excellence.

She finds that her curiosity and desire to learn have given her a perspective that is constantly evolving. The learning doesn't stop at the art she endeavours to master, but touches everything that lies at the periphery and extends its influence to every sphere of her life.

Starting out as an interior decorator, Sonia quickly explored its potential by experimenting with all kinds of forms and media. In the days when studio pottery was virtually unknown, Sonia delved into the mysteries of clay and trained in Calcutta. She went on to develop that into a viable enterprise. Glass was a secondary passion at the time, and it was only when her sister in the US convinced her to pursue a course at the New York School of Visual Arts that her journey as a glass artist began. There was no looking back after that. The medium captured her imagination as much as it did her soul and became her mainstay in creativity.

She learnt and practised all the techniques for many years. At some point, she felt that given the various facets and the innovative work happening using glass as a medium, she did not want to restrict her creativity to stained glass alone. This was to be the second incarnation, in a lifetime of avatars -renewing, innovating and creating.

While she was at The School of Visual Arts, she also went back to her first love-pottery- and discovered many new aspects and techniques that she would use to delight her domestic clientele for years to come.

Ever restless, a constant seeker, one day she decided to learn the art of Picassiette-trained by Valerie Carmet in New York. Derived from "Pique Assiete", this is the mosaic art of putting together pieces of broken ceramics into design. Inspired by the work of Raymonde Isidore who created La Maison Picassiette.

"The day I stop learning and creating, is the day I die." - Sonia Sareen

Sonia considers herself fortunate to have been guided and taught by incredibly talented masters in various forms of art and Valerie Carmet is one of them. Sonia ventured into cold ceramic and dye casting subsequently. More recently, under the tutelage of Reggie Lim of Singapore, she learnt the art of slumping and fusion.

Glass, by its very definition, requires a high degree of precision. It is an exceptionally challenging medium to work in, as anyone who has ever worked with glass would know. It is delicate and brittle and quite unforgiving. One wrong move and the pieces are rendered useless. Besides the artistry, it is the precision which exemplifies the quality of Sonia's work, and defines her high standards. She feels that in many projects she is not just an artist but also an engineer...or certainly sometimes requires the advice of one! Since no two specifications are alike, almost every piece created in glass is unique.

"The medium, by its very definition requires a high degree of precision."

Glass has also given Sonia repeated opportunities to discover many other crafts that she had no prior experience in. It brought her in collaboration with skilled craftsmen in woodworking, metal and dye casting. The knowledge she gained from working with all these various craftsmen has, over a period of time, enabled her to create a fusion of various techniques and deliver better products. Today, she is equally adept at creating furniture using her stained glass, simply because she has worked and observed for so many years-at such close quarters.

When asked about her hobbies and passions other than work, she says emphatically "Work IS my hobby and my greatest passion". Which is why, even a twenty four hour schedule is never a cause for stress but something she derives much pleasure from. Not too long ago, she decided to pursue a course in art (although she is also an accomplished painter) on another level. She did a rigorous Art Appreciation course at the prestigious National Museum and recounts the stories from that experience with awe and pride.

"I am constantly re-inventing myself-I see no boundaries-because they only exist in one's mind. For a seeker, there is always a journey and a new horizon."

Lately she has been working in mediums such as Bronze, Stainless Steel, Fibre Glass and Brass to revive her passion for sculptures which she left 20 years ago.