Our vision is to raise the level of architectural art glass to that of a true art form. The finest artwork draws it’s substance from the artist’s personality and vision. We believe this substance can best be realized in a complex medium such as glass if the designer and fabricator remain independent. Like many other disciplines, it is only through specialization that the highest quality design and craftsmanship can be achieved.

In Germany, this effort is realized in the independent studio system. The foundation of this approach is the devotion to the art of glass. Derix has been operating in this manner since 1866.

Derix Glasstudios, Taunusstein, Germany

Some of the most refreshing work currently being produced is by artists who have very little experience in glass. We have consciously introduced and encouraged artists whose work we believe could translate into our transparent medium. These people are often not restricted by technical or contextual considerations that can unconsciously limit established glass designers. While their designs can be quite difficult to interpret, sometimes we feel the results can help expand the boundaries of what is possible and can even be imagined in glass.

We have endeavoured to produce an environment that is not a factory, but a meeting place, where many different types of people can interact. Artists, craftspeople, architects, and clients mingle together in a space and spirit that provides opportunities for personal relations and personal encounter. Very different and opposing views are expressed. A wide field is opened to the inquirer. Our studio includes a large gallery and an extensive collection of work by hundreds of different artists. We have an extensive slide and photo archive, and library of books on glass, art, and architecture. We hold several workshops and openings every year and host many international visitors who spend days or weeks with us.

In particular, the large studio structure provides a focal point where artists, otherwise working in isolation, can meet colleagues, and observe their working methods and results. This shared expertise and awareness the studio system provides is an important factor in the great advances European glass artists have made in the last few decades.

This collaboration process is far more complex than simple fabrication. The translation of expression from paper to glass requires a fundamental shift of thinking quite unlike any other medium. Derix employs no designers – artists are free to have their work fabricated anywhere else. But most artists who have worked with us, continue to bring their projects to us, and participate in the process of extending the technical capabilities of the studio. An example of this is our work with Johannes Schreiter in the development of a technique using a combination of plexiglass, glass and lead. This method was born as a result of the studio’s willingness to experiment. A process laminating cut glass pieces between sheets of clear glass without lead or adhesive was also formed in collaboration with Alexander Beleschenko.

Professionalism in a German Studio is at every level. Artisans are respected members of German society, and to quality for this position takes years of study and work. There is honor given to craftsmanship and it’s practitioners. One area where the artisans can find personal expression is that of technical virtuosity and innovation. The demands of collaborating with some artists are considerable; nevertheless, the artisans perform in an environment where they are clearly motivated by the challenge.

The environment we provide for artists in the studio is similarly positive and interactive. All artists are invited to spend time at the studio during the fabrication process. Our facility in Taunusstein incorporates fully furnished apartments for visiting artists and they are invited to meals with the family. They are free to participate in any aspect of the process. The studio is equipped to allow artists to view their work at different stages, including a 50 square meter viewing window where large projects are erected for inspection before completion.

The level to which artists become involved in the interpretation of their design varies considerably. The task of interpretation is a careful balance, with aesthetic decisions often shared and debated. One of our strengths is a staff of relatively young artisans who are not limited by traditional approaches to technique. Above all, the studio is flexible and dedicated to bringing the artist’s vision to light.