Colin Heaney (Australia), glass paperweights, late 20th century

Paperweights, used to hold down papers, and most commonly made in glass, evolved in Venice in the early nineteenth century, and spread to France via Bohemia about 1845, where the finest examples were produced by three factories: Baccarat, Clichy and St Louis. Examples from these manufacturers are mostly unmarked and widely faked and imitated and thus a minefield for the uninitiated. The most popular motif is millefiori ('thousand flowers'), though fruit, single flowers, insects, and other small objects are often used as well as portraits and view. The cheaper paperweights use air bubbles as decoration. The classic paperweights are round more... and domed, but lesser weights were also made in the form of pyramids and rectangles. The early period of paperweights is reckoned to have ended in 1870 but some 20th century manufacturers such as Lalique, Kosta Boda, Whitefriars and Caithness Glass have produced some fine examples. The great majority of paper weights are unmarked, and glass rarely shows its age.

Paperweights are also made in gold, silver, silver plate, hardstone, amber, ceramic, ivory, timber and other materials. less...

Colin Heaney (1946-2013) was an Australian glass artist who made significant contributions to the development of the contemporary glass art movement in Australia. He was born in Melbourne, Victoria and studied ceramics and sculpture at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.

In the late 1970s, Heaney began experimenting with glass as a medium for his artistic expression. He was drawn to the transparency, luminosity, and fluidity of glass, and quickly became known for his innovative use of the material. Heaney's work was characterized by its bold, abstract forms, and his masterful control of color and texture.

Over the more... course of his career, Heaney created a wide range of glass art, including sculptures, vessels, and installations. He often collaborated with other artists, designers, and architects on large-scale commissions and public art projects. He was also a passionate teacher, sharing his knowledge and expertise with generations of aspiring glass artists.

Heaney's work has been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world, including the National Gallery of Australia, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Corning Museum of Glass in New York. He was the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Australia Council Visual Arts Board Emeritus Award in 2001.

Heaney is one of the most important figures in the history of Australian glass art. less...