Looking at the World Through Rose Colored Glass

The fire burns and crackles at a scorching 1200 degrees Celsius, as Olivier Mallemouche transforms an

 incandescent piece of raw material into a vibrant object of beauty. Since Mallemouche was 8 years old, his

 lifelong ambition was to become an artist. He trained with his uncle who shared the basic techniques of glass

 blowing. Without further formal training, Mallemouche has perfected a very individual style over his 18 years as

 an artist, and brought the art of glass blowing to an entirely new level. His imagination and passion bring a contemporary approach to this ancient art.

 His expertise ranges from crafting tapered vases, carafes, and glasses to many distinctive and unusual objects

 such as masks, sculpted glass busts, and heads on pedestals. It is with the latter, truly unique pieces that Mallemouche most closely identifies.

"It is a trade that flirts with the surreal: the ravenous blaze of fire, the magic of the glass.....how can one describe it?"

asks Mallemouche, delicately manipulating a piece of glass over an excited flame. Mallemouche prefers to work in the moment

and allow the creation to freely develop its own individual beauty. His spontaneity and imagination animate his personal style.

Glass is a material of yesterday, today, and tomorrow....Glass is a vibrant material of light....of image

even,that travels through history, all the while hiding its secrets which the glass blower, always evolving in

his work, is on a constant quest to divulge and master.

Mallemouche has received numerous awards, including the prestigious Métiers d' Art SEMA in 1985, 1986,

 and 1993 and continues to receive many first prize awards in exhibits throughout France and his work is

 featured in galleries in France, Greece, Switzerland, Belgium, Japan, and now in the United States.

He has not only fulfilled his childhood dream of becoming an artist, but has also brought a vibrant new perspective

 to the art of glassblowing.

Following are more photos of Mallemouche's  village and studio