Profile

Peter Viesnik is one of New Zealand's best known hot glass artists, commencing his career in 1979 by building his first workshop and glassblowing equipment in Albany, just outside Auckland and the following year forming a partnership with Peter Raos, establishing The Hot Glass Company in Devonport, Auckland.

This Studio became a focal point for locals and visitors for ten years, many viewing the art of glassblowing for the first time.

For the next ten years Viesnik continued his glassblowing career by working out of other glass artists production studios, principally Garry Nash's Sunbeam Glassworks, Mel Simpson's studio at Elam School of Fine Arts, Auckland University and Keith Mahy's studio, firstly at Northland Polytechnic and later at Burning Issues, Town Basin, Whangarei. In 2000, Viesnik purchased an existing studio formerly known as 'Gloria' in Grey Lynn, Auckland, where he is currently located.

During his glass blowing career, Viesnik was closely involved in The N.Z. Society of Artists in Glass, by being a committee member in the early stages, then as Treasurer, Vice President and for six years President.

In 1992 as a result of attending a lampworking session at the famous Pilchuk Glass School in Washington State, U.S.A., he also became interested in the process of flame working or as it has been known, as lamp working. This resulted in a period of producing glass beads and jewellery, which skills then learned further resulted in making component parts such as fish, seaweed and other decorative elements for his Marine Fish paperweights and for other blown objects.

He has a deep felt conviction that glass presents ever ongoing challenges and fields of exploration, which maintains his interest and obsession with this demanding medium. Combinations of colour and form are endless and there are always new techniques to be learned.