Uncommon Cold

September 2, 2019 by Donna from MyOBT 6 Comments

Currently part of the #NewGlassNow show at the Corning Museum of Glass, Lothar Böttcher is something of a South African wunderkind. He began working with glass in 1994, and he’s been polishing his skills ever since. Rather than heating or blowing glass, he does coldworking, which involves altering shape or surface texture of glass by grinding, carving, engraving, polishing, sandblasting, and other techniques.

Böttcher’s work is meant to get us to look at things differently, and the piece above certainly does that! With his glass lenses and sculptures, the artist wants to help people see beauty in the world in spite of all the ugliness. I’m all for that!

You can see more of Lothar Böttcher’s work on his website and Instagram, and you can see it in person alongside many more glass marvels through January 5, 2020, at the Corning Museum of Glass.

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Cyclops We all “wear” #masks, obscuring the truth deep within. Cyclops, A #mask #sculpture available from @mdawidras . #cyclops #optical #crystal #handmade #cutglass #facets #edvardmunch #inspired #tgif #lookingatyou #lookingatme #21stcentury #instaart #contemporaryart #southafricanart

A post shared by Lothar Böttcher (@lotharbottcher) on Jun 15, 2018 at 12:39am PDT

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Crystal – Red Line #1 Murmurs if Earth is currently showing at @art_on_avenues_ till end of April. This #groupexhibition is inspired by the two #voyagerspacecraft drifting beyond our #solarsystem – or, #humankind’s #spirit and #curiosity. Crystal – Red Line explores our #desire To #quantify and #measure… Herewith a #quote from #CarlSagan from his book Pale Blue Dot: The #Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand. #exhibition #palebluedot #redline #glass #contemporaryglass

A post shared by Lothar Böttcher (@lotharbottcher) on Apr 17, 2019 at 11:18am PDT

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🌄 Evening sunset through “Pocket Lens” by @lotharbottcher from South Africa 🌵🌴🌳☀ . . “Pocket Lens” with South African #sunset 🔭 . #Repost @lotharbottcher • • • • • • . . . . #pocketlens #newglassnow #southafricanglass #smartphone #handheld #tactile #sculpture #lookingandseeing #perception #digitalvsanalog #digitalart #analogue #light #lens #glasssculpture #contemporaryglass #glass #coldwork #iphonography #glass_club #glassart #bestofglass #instagood #instaart #tbt #glassofig . . @artinamerica @corningmuseum @glasspool_ev @glass_club @glassartsociety @wallpapermag @instagram @tlmag @studioolafureliasson @aestheticamag @bandittogallery @thechesterfieldgallery @apple @dekatmagazine @zildie @glenn_adamson @glenellyestate @nycxdesign @nytimesopinionart

A post shared by glass platform (@glass_club) on Jul 18, 2019 at 4:32pm PDT

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Light is my medium, those #electromagnetic #waves in the #visible #spectrum. With my #hands I cut and shape #glass, manipulating the way these waves bounce and shudder. Here are some steps from marking and grinding initial #facets creating a #rockblossom. . . #cutglass #glasssculpture #glassofig #handmade #contemporaryart #optics #light #space #visualfodder #21stcentury #sculpture #bloom #crystal #coldshop #coldworking #blossom . . @circagallery @themelrose_gallerysa @artcollector.x @otomys @thechesterfieldgallery @gallerysikabonyi @echtgallery @tstmkrsafrica @michelangelofoundation @shanghaimuseumofglass @corningmuseum @randcompanynyc @visual.fodder @designboom @designmilk @southernguildgallery @visi_mag @visitcorey @c.a.daily

A post shared by Lothar Böttcher (@lotharbottcher) on Jul 18, 2018 at 10:27pm PDT

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Check out #Dreamer and other works for the BlackBox event at @artbox_gallery_framing this weekend. Lots and lots of great #original #artworks available for #blackfriday #frenzy #thisweekend #sculpture #art #sale

A post shared by Lothar Böttcher (@lotharbottcher) on Nov 21, 2018 at 1:19am PST

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#light #lens #paper #shadow #focus #blur #bandw #blackandwhitephotography #playing #studiotime #musicfortheeyes

A post shared by Lothar Böttcher (@lotharbottcher) on Dec 29, 2018 at 1:49am PST

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#Ilovemyjob #cutglass #Coldwork

A post shared by Lothar Böttcher (@lotharbottcher) on Jul 29, 2019 at 7:42am PDT

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Frontier – hand carved, cut and polished #optical #crystal . If you are in n #CapeTown go visit the #EdgeGlassGallery in Vredeburg Lane (just off Longstreet) #glassgallery #sculpture #glasssculpture #optical #contemporaryart #lens #instaart #southafricanglass #glassart #glassartforsale

A post shared by Lothar Böttcher (@lotharbottcher) on Aug 2, 2018 at 9:55pm PDT

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Skull – Beard Hewn from a solid slice of #Schottglass this must be one of the more #scary #skull #sculptures I’ve made with that #expression, gaping mouth and #sharp teeth… #watchout !! *** Please contact @bellart_gallery for more info. #glasssculpture #coldwork #cutglass #solidglass #opticalcrystal #glasscollector #optics #expression #skulls #handcarved #carvedglass #crystal #contemporaryglass #vienna #viennagallery #bellartgallery #eyes #magic #handmade #blackandwhitephotography #artphotography #light #bendinglight #familiar @tlmag @glasspool_ev @glassartsociety @corningmuseum @michelangelofoundation

A post shared by Lothar Böttcher (@lotharbottcher) on Jun 3, 2019 at 3:57am PDT

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Excitement is brewing!! 😬 One week to go and #NewGlassNow opens at the Corning Museum of Glass!! 🤩 Check out some of my thoughts on#PocketLens at lotharbottcher.com #sunrise #corningmuseumofglass #glassexhibition #southafricanglass #coldwork #sculpture #handheld #tactile #metaphysics #light #informationfilter #distortion #reality #iphone #digitalvsanalogue #analogue #vision #handeye @corningmuseum @artafrica_mag @seanwotoole @everard_read_johannesburg @bellart_gallery @ebonycurated @artcoza @neuesglas @by_parts_and_labour @glassartsociety @glass_club @apple @samsungmobile @marscuriosity @schott_ag @zeitzmocaa @dezeen @wallpapermag

A post shared by Lothar Böttcher (@lotharbottcher) on May 3, 2019 at 8:57pm PDT

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Muse . Inspired by Brancusi’s Sleeping Muse. Glass is my muse… Resting on sandstone, Earth. . Muse is part of #SculptX at the @themelrose_gallerysa . . . #sculpture #exhibition #contemporaryglass #glassofig #glassart #glasssculpture #sculpturalglass #cutglass #coldwork #coldworker #sculptor #southafricanglass #glassartforsale

A post shared by Lothar Böttcher (@lotharbottcher) on Aug 20, 2019 at 8:21pm PDT

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#PocketLens looking at Nam June Paik’s #InformationSuperhighway at the @americanart #museum. #namjunepaik is one of my favorite artists, having influenced how I see this overload… #blownaway #newglassnow @corningmuseum #travelshots #museumspace

A post shared by Lothar Böttcher (@lotharbottcher) on May 14, 2019 at 2:57pm PDT

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Vensterjie / Little Window #2 is one of my little #sculptures on #SculptX at @themelrose_gallerysa I love this combination of #cutglass and #sandstone. It’s almost as if this #sculpture is #alive… . #zoomorphic #glassart #glassofinstagram #glassofig #glassforsale #light #window #architecture #architecturephotography #rocksolid #optics #sculptor #instagood #contemporaryart . @otomys @bellart_gallery @zeitzmocaa @fougallery @spike_art_magazine @aestheticamag @1340art @visual.fodder @parnassmagazin @randcompanynyc @michelangelofoundation @artmazemag @modernartprojectssouthafrica @gallerysikabonyi @vmagazine @juxtapozmag @hifructosemag @collecteurs @surfacemag @corningmuseum @shanghaimuseumofglass @tlmag @weltkunstmagazin @sfaadvisory @visi_mag @glassartsociety @dekatmagazine @contemporaryartcollectors

A post shared by Lothar Böttcher (@lotharbottcher) on Sep 13, 2018 at 11:54pm PDT

Author: Donna from MyOBT

I have committed to spending part of every day looking for at least one beautiful thing, and sharing what I find with you lovelies!

6 thoughts on “Uncommon Cold”

bcparkison
September 2, 2019 at 6:55 am

The pocket lens are my fave.

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- Donna from MyOBT
  September 2, 2019 at 9:41 am
  
  They really are so cool. They look magical to me!
  
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janhaltn
September 2, 2019 at 7:47 am

I enjoyed looking at each one. But that was it. Hal

LikeLiked by 1 person

- Donna from MyOBT
  September 2, 2019 at 9:41 am
  
  LOL. I so enjoy you.
  
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StellaKate Blue
September 2, 2019 at 7:25 pm

These pieces are quite different than those I think of when I think of glass. Intriguing (and your title “Uncommon Cold” is very clever.

LikeLiked by 1 person

- Donna from MyOBT
  September 2, 2019 at 9:45 pm
  
  Thanks, love! I was really captivated by them, too, and while I can’t wait to learn to blow glass, the idea of cold working also intrigues me.
  
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