The Painter and the Glassmaker - Parnell - 24th Feb 2020

The Painter and the Glassmaker - Parnell

In 2015 Di Tocker and Jennie De Groot hatched a plan to exhibit together exhibition at David Lloyd Gallery in Hamilton. Working within a selected, muted colour palette, the two artists presented the Hamilton art scene with an accomplished and very popular show. Since then the pair have exhibited together twice more; Soul Gallery, Hamilton and Gallery De Novo, Dunedin.  Always innovating, the pair present their works in unique ways keeping high quality art foremost and forefront.
 
Jennie and Di have a unique relationship. On the face of it, what do a painter and a glassmaker have in common? It turns out, quite a lot.  Sharing within their individual practices, pooling business ideas, keeping each other motivated, critiquing each other's works, exploring new techniques and providing continuous positivity to maintain momentum.  They have a regular Monday morning conference call which encourages accountability and provides support in their solo practices.
 
This time, Jennie and Di are thrilled to be teaming up with another great team - Justin and Neala of Black Door Gallery in Parnell, Auckland. Di's work will be familiar to Black Door clients however Jennie is exhibiting here for the first time. Scaling up to fit the large naturally lit white space, Di's figurative glass pieces are larger in scale than usual and include mesmorising colour combinations creating strong emotive responses. These appear to be 'living' in connection with Jennie's large representational abstract paintings using the land as a motif. These two use a select colour palette once again, though you will note refreshing colour 'pops' to create surprises within both works.
 
Don't miss this stunning exhibition!
 
Black Door Gallery
251 Parnell Rd, Parnell, Auckland Opening event - Thursday 5th
March, 5.30-7.30pm Exhibtion continues till 26 March
 

Glass Duo Exhibit in Christchurch - 19th Oct 2019

FLUID PRACTICE EXHIBITION
Di Tocker and Jarred Wright
Click here for images of my work.

Form Gallery, Christchurch
468 Colombo Street Christchurch New Zealand
6-26 November

Di Tocker and Jarred Wright will show their works together at the fabulous Form Gallery in Christchurch.
 

Di Tocker

Di is a full-time glass artist working from her purpose-built studio in Cambridge. Born in Auckland, 1971 and educated in Tauranga, Di was fortunate to discover her love of glass at the early age of 18. Since then, she has always created works in glass - firstly in leadlight as a hobbyist. Di completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts (major Glass) in 2002 at RMIT University in Melbourne – this is where she discovered the method of lost wax glass casting and started to focus her work on the human form. Now most of Di’s work is focused on the human form, relationships and communication.


Jarred Wright

Jarred is a glass artist from Christchurch currently living in Brisbane; he trained under the British Society of Scientific Glass in the microbiology and chemistry department at the University of Queensland in Brisbane. Jarred finds influence in the natural forms that appear under the microscope in the sciences and he also maintains an affinity to the unique flora, fauna and artistic styling of his home land, Aotearoa. All of his work is shaped by hand (and mouth) while molten hot in the old tradition of bench torch glass blowing techniques.

Fluid Practice - 26th Sep 2019

FLUID PRACTICE
Di Tocker and Jarred Wright

Form Gallery, Christchurch
468 Colombo Street Christchurch New Zealand
Wednesday, November 6, 2019 5:30 PM - Tuesday, November 26, 2019 5:00 PM 2019

Di Tocker and Jarred Wright will show their works together at the fabulous Form Gallery in Christchurch.

Di Tocker

Di is a full-time glass artist working from her purpose-built studio in Cambridge. Born in Auckland, 1971 and educated in Tauranga, Di was fortunate to discover her love of glass at the early age of 18. Since then, she has always created works in glass - firstly in leadlight as a hobbyist. Di completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts (major Glass) in 2002 at RMIT University in Melbourne – this is where she discovered the method of lost wax glass casting and started to focus her work on the human form. Now most of Di’s work is focused on the human form, relationships and communication.


Jarred Wright

Jarred is a glass artist from Christchurch currently living in Brisbane; he trained under the British Society of Scientific Glass in the microbiology and chemistry department at the University of Queensland in Brisbane. Jarred finds influence in the natural forms that appear under the microscope in the sciences and he also maintains an affinity to the unique flora, fauna and artistic styling of his home land, Aotearoa. All of his work is shaped by hand (and mouth) while molten hot in the old tradition of bench torch glass blowing techniques.
 


Headspace #5 One of the new cast glass sculptures by Di Tocker to be shown at the Fluid Practice exhibition in Christchurch. Dimensions – H390 x W260 x D77mm
Weight – 8.615kg combined weight
 

We Are Luminaries - 25th Sep 2019

I am honoured and delighted to be showing two pieces in We Are Luminaries, a contemporary art exhibition featuring over 30 leading Australasian Glass Artists.
4 - 30 October 2019

Exhibition Opening Night 4 October 5:30-7:30pm, with drinks & live music
Open 7 Days.
Black Door Gallery, 251 Parnell Road, Auckland

We Are Luminaries will bring together leading artists from across Australasia, treating the viewer to
an array of exemplary contemporary glass works. Come and experience the work of artists who have
mastered the challenging and rewarding medium of glass. Techniques of blowing, kiln-casting, fusing,
slumping, flame-working, hot-sculpting and cold-working will all be represented.

The title of this exhibition acknowledges the unique physical qualities of the glass medium, a material
unparalleled for its ability to transform light. Further, the term Luminaries refers to those
inspirational and pioneering individuals who are leading lights in their field. The selected artists of
this exhibition are Luminaries in the field of glass, creating high calibre contemporary works of art
that are sure to amaze and inspire.

Artists in this exhibition include Ben Young | Heike Brachlow | Christine Cathie | Te Rongo Kirkwood
| John White | Hoglund Art Glass | Luke Jacomb | Katie Brown | Di Tocker | Lynden Over | Garry
Nash | Christine Robb | Graeme Hitchcock | Harry Brown | Gerry King | Justin Culina | Simon Lewis-
Wards | Devon Ormsby | Lee Howes | Philip Stokes | Jenny McLeod | Anne Sorensen | Mark Elliot |
Grant Donaldson | Eileen Gordon | Rish Gordon | Francia Smeets | Chris Jones | Rebecca Heap |
Heather Kremen | Brian Chrystall | Keith Grinter | John & Frances Hanson | George Agius | Matt Hall and more.

Open Studio October 5 & 6 - 24th Sep 2019

I'm having an Open Studio weekend!

Saturday 5 October: 2pm-5pm
Sunday 6 October: 10am-1pm

33 Jarrett Terrace, Leamington, Cambridge.

  • Come and meet me if you haven't already,
  • Have a sneak peek at my next exhibition, Fluid Practice, before it leaves for Christchurch in November.  
  • Have a look round the studio - there's always something on the go, whether on the wax bench or fresh out of the kiln,
  • Commission work; I love to make that personal connection with my customers and plan a piece together.

Find your (glass) figure - 18th Jun 2019

I have decided to sell my hand-crafted studio colour samples. Many of you have seen and admired these 29 figures that have been a fixture in my glassmaking studio. These colour samples, stand approximately 125mm high and are in the form of an abstracted figure. They were all uniquely formed, carved in wax then cast in Blackwood Crystal, and formed the basis for my figurative practice. No two are the same.

I am making way for a new sample set, and at the same time raising funds to purchase some new polishing equipment - a flat bed grinder will save me hours and also save my back!

You can purchase your new (glass) figure via the online store.
I can deliver or you can collect your glass from my Cambridge Glass Studio.

Glass Houses selected for Small Sculpture Prize - 23rd May 2019

Di Tocker's High Homes have been selected as a finalist for the 2019 Small Sculpture Prize at Waiheke Community Art Gallery.  Rueben Friend, Director Pataka Art & Museum selected Di's set of 3 cast glass houses as one of 30 finalists from a pool of over 60 entries.

Di says "The inspiration for these works cam from thinking about her own childrens' future and the possibility of (lack of) home ownership".

Referring to the ‘high hopes’ New Zealander’s have conventionally had about home ownership, elevated house forms sit atop lanky transparent columns. Is the kiwi quarter-acre dream disappearing as our population increases?  Will my children have to re-think what a home is? Do we need to re-define community?

Exhibition Details:
Opens 24 May 2019
Until 23 June 2019
Gala and Awards Evening 31 May 2019
Waiheke Community Art Gallery
2 Korora Rd, Oneroa
Waiheke Island

Podcast - A new thing for this Glass Artist - 17th Aug 2018

Breaking Art_The Podcast recording studio I am new to podcasts. I love to listen to while I am busy creating in the studio. One of my favourite series is Breaking Art, in which Jason Naylor gets around NZ in his Kombi and interviews a range of creatives about balancing their art with business.

So, needless to say, I was pretty chuffed to receive an email from Jason, asking if I would be his next guest in the Kombi, while he was up this way attending Spark in Hamilton last week.

It's a bare-all kind of thing, this interview. Even if you know me well you may learn something new about me. I share the story of my relationship with glass, my studio practice including some very low points and of course the many high points that keep me making glass. Jason is an attentive listener, talking about this stuff with him was easy, but I'll admit it is a bit scary to share with the rest of you!

Gentle warning....the podcast is 1 hour long, so you may wish to download and save for driving or while you are doing your thing, in your special place.

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