Today we’d like to introduce you to Hethre Larivee.
Hethre, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I don’t think I’m the traditional artist, but for over 20 years, blowing glass has been the one constant in my life. My background is not in fine art, I have no formal training in glass other than taking classes from other established glass artists and lots of experimenting on my own. I don’t think I’m the traditional worker, either. My jobs, skill sets and education have changed drastically and rapidly during that same time… from scrubbing toilets to engineering complex processes to being an entrepreneur.
After working in healthcare, living in service of others has been a value that has emerged for me, so clearly. As a certified Kripalu Yoga Teacher, I’m combining my yoga and glassblowing skills, to support and give back to the glass art community. The glass craft is a very physically demanding one and, often, our self-care is not a priorty. To help my fellow artists feel their best and make their best ideas come to life, I have created yoga videos for glass artists on Instagram and YouTube; the response from the community has been absolutely amazing!
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I am a glassblower. I typically practice flameworking, which is a technique using a torch to heat glass rods and tubes to 4,000+ degrees F, which I will blow and shape into jewelry, ornaments, and sculpture. I am also trained in traditional furnace glassblowing, glass casting, and glass slumping/fusing techniques. In addition to creating glass art, I also teach classes in my studio. I have also taught and assisted flameworking classes at the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, NY.
I love the beauty and strength and fragility of glass… the same qualities that make us up, as a human collective. And as a collective, we are drawn to the beauty in life, when we slow down enough to notice it… when we embrace the slowness and ‘what is.’
If there’s one thing I hope people take away from my artwork, it’s a sense of curiosity. I want viewers to be inspired by my work to want to take a closer look and experience a sense of curiosity and wonder.
What responsibility, if any, do you think artists have to use their art to help alleviate problems faced by others? Has your art been affected by issues you’ve concerned about?
I think we need art now, more than ever. Art helps us cope, learn, and process. My sculptural pieces explore various social issues. For example, my piece titled, “What Have We Done?” explores the opioid epidemic, what it has done to communities and individuals, as well as the role that healthcare has played in the epidemic.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
You can find my work at www.hethreglass.com or follow me on Instagram @hethre_glass for updates on the latest events.
I am also a juried member of the League of NH Craftsmen and you can find my work in several League of NH Craftsmen galleries throughout NH.
My work has also been published in various issues of New Glass Review, Flow Magazine, and has been included in various Harvard Student Art Show and League of NH Craftsmen exhibitions.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hethreglass.com
- Email: grittyglass76@gmail.com
- Instagram: hethre_glass
Image Credit:
Lizzy Bates
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