encircle 2022, blown glass, ionised gas, photo and video Mark Mohell
Harriet [HARRY] Schwarzrock
As a visual artist interested in biological systems and connectivity, Schwarzrock's practice has recently embraced creating neon and plasma elements. This vibrant form of illumination has developed with her material knowledge of glass. Drawn to glass’s ability to contain and give form to the invisible, recent explorations have embraced interactive illumination to describe the subtle electricity within our bodies.
Having graduated from Sydney College of the Arts in the late 1990s, Schwarzrock has exhibited extensively throughout Australia and abroad. She assists regularly and refines her glassblowing through participating in masterclasses, mentoring, and learning from her esteemed friends and colleagues, developing skills and inspiration for her work. Her practice is based in Queanbeyan, NSW, in a home studio where she and her partner, Matthew Curtis, run a hot glassblowing studio.
Her work is widely collected, and she has won various awards and been selected for prestigious residencies, including Canberra Glassworks Art Group Fellowship, the Asialink Toyama residency and the ANU Procter Fellowship. Her public artwork ‘murmuration’ recently secured the ACT’s Pamille Berg; Art in Architecture award. Her illuminated plasma heart installations have been exhibited at the Canberra Glassworks, the Berengo studio, Venice, Murano and the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.
Her practice draws upon cycles of respiration and circulation, which are embodied yet often invisible. Schwarzrock is magnetically drawn to molten glass's material language and plasticity because it can give form to these intangible cycles. Fascinated by its ability to contain the ethereal, continuing to learn about this exacting material has become a catalyst for exploring interactive illumination.
She is currently undertaking research at The Glassworkshop at the Australian National University.
Having graduated from Sydney College of the Arts in the late 1990s, Schwarzrock has exhibited extensively throughout Australia and abroad. She assists regularly and refines her glassblowing through participating in masterclasses, mentoring, and learning from her esteemed friends and colleagues, developing skills and inspiration for her work. Her practice is based in Queanbeyan, NSW, in a home studio where she and her partner, Matthew Curtis, run a hot glassblowing studio.
Her work is widely collected, and she has won various awards and been selected for prestigious residencies, including Canberra Glassworks Art Group Fellowship, the Asialink Toyama residency and the ANU Procter Fellowship. Her public artwork ‘murmuration’ recently secured the ACT’s Pamille Berg; Art in Architecture award. Her illuminated plasma heart installations have been exhibited at the Canberra Glassworks, the Berengo studio, Venice, Murano and the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.
Her practice draws upon cycles of respiration and circulation, which are embodied yet often invisible. Schwarzrock is magnetically drawn to molten glass's material language and plasticity because it can give form to these intangible cycles. Fascinated by its ability to contain the ethereal, continuing to learn about this exacting material has become a catalyst for exploring interactive illumination.
She is currently undertaking research at The Glassworkshop at the Australian National University.
encircled & encirclement 2022 photo Mark Mohell.
studio portraiture Hilary Wardaugh.
studio portraiture Hilary Wardaugh.
Harriet Schwarzrock graduated from Sydney College of the Arts in 1999 with Honours in Visual Arts, majoring in glass, after transferring from a science degree.
Prior to graduating, Schwarzrock travelled through North America visiting renowned workshops and studios, assisting artists including Laura Donefer and Steven Rolfe Powell. On her return to Australia, Schwarzrock began assisting at Denizen Studio, Sydney, working with many of Australia’s best glassblowers, developing her skill and technique and finding inspiration and influence for her own work.
Schwarzrock’s practice is currently based in her backyard, where she and her partner and glass artist, Matthew Curtis, run a hot glass studio together, tinting custom coloured glass.
Schwarzrock has exhibited extensively throughout Australia and abroad. Her work is widely collected, and her piece, breathe, won the sculpture prize in the Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize in 2014.
Prior to graduating, Schwarzrock travelled through North America visiting renowned workshops and studios, assisting artists including Laura Donefer and Steven Rolfe Powell. On her return to Australia, Schwarzrock began assisting at Denizen Studio, Sydney, working with many of Australia’s best glassblowers, developing her skill and technique and finding inspiration and influence for her own work.
Schwarzrock’s practice is currently based in her backyard, where she and her partner and glass artist, Matthew Curtis, run a hot glass studio together, tinting custom coloured glass.
Schwarzrock has exhibited extensively throughout Australia and abroad. Her work is widely collected, and her piece, breathe, won the sculpture prize in the Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize in 2014.