Glass on glass

Signed on the back.

Trio of blown glass: Prickly Pear green leaf base with purple spots, with two yellow & red buds attached, plus a singular green/purple leaf and singular purple bud.

The prickly pear is a terribly widespread weed. Perhaps you have memories of the prickly pear from your grandparents' farm, or one in the neighbour's front yard. Emma started noticing how prolific this plant is after a visit to her maternal grandparents’ birthplace in Malta, where prickly pear cacti line the landscape.

Interpreting this cactus into blown glass leads to limitless combinations of colour and form, with an exciting 'hot-joining' technique where the artwork transforms before one's eyes. Emma is admittedly a tragic green thumb, but 'growing' glass plants is a way to create animated life... that doesn't require any watering!

Emma Young is South Australian born & bred, often making local references in her glass artwork. Working out of the JamFactory glass studio, Emma enjoys exploring different techniques with each new developing work. Themes often involve nostalgia, pride in local icons, and personal childhood memories. She can be followed online @emmayoungglass

Professional photography by Michael Haines.
Glass blowing shots by Rosina Possingham for UniSA 'Crafting Self' and Keryn Stevens for The Advertiser.