Design: Bib&Sola Hand Blown Glassware
[Image credit: The Ash Collection – Bib&Sola]
Coming from the Latin words meaning ‘Water’ and ‘Comfort’, Bib&Sola is an exquisite and highly unique range of handblown glassware paying homage to women water bearers across the globe; and for me calls to mind the familiar graceful depictions of African women with clay pots or tightly woven baskets perfectly balanced on the head having walked miles to fetch water; a vital resource for day to day life, and is a task done with dignity. Bib&Sola was established by Kira Heuer, a Southern Californian native who grew up by the ocean and in her bio refers to the impact water in its various forms has had on her life; from the enjoyment of surfing as a youngster to the deeper need to raise awareness for clean water for all, having been spurred into action when she read an article in National Geographic highlighting the scarcity of water in parts of the world, with some shocking statistics accompanying it (Water Issue, April 2010).
Hand blown in Venice, Italy a region famed for its Murano glass techniques, tall slender shapes in the form of Murano glass carafes and tumblers are shot through with bright colours in yellows, reds, blues and greens. It’s like they have had paint dropped into them and the swirled around the sides; resulting in a striking effect and one that is hard to achieve with glass blowing techniques, as Kira found out when searching for an artisan to help produce the glassware. With a specific idea in mind of how she wanted the products to look like Kira almost gave up in her quest after repeatedly being told that what she wanted to achieve was not possible given the way colours in the glass will spread at random during the process. However, Kira continued to work with different glass blowers eventually finding the right artisan to help her achieve the look and feel she was after. Kira’s persistence paid off, as they look stunning; the splash of the colours add a playful touch but does not detract from the message behind the products, to create awareness about water supply and it’s growing scarcity in some areas of the world. For every Bib&Sola product sold, a percentage of the profit from the proceeds goes towards the ONE Foundation, a charity working to provide clean, safe drinking water in parts of the world where there is none. The funds raised are used to help with the development of pump water systems in rural Malawi.
…distinctive, highly unusual glassware created to make a difference
Additional details:
Products priced at: £55-£650
For further information about Bib&Sola visit: www.bibandsola.com
