Today we’d like to introduce you to Malina Cipleu.
Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
I’ve always been a creative person and enjoy making things, and at the same time, I am curious about how things are made. I guess this curiosity was partly stirred by spending much time with my grandparents: my maternal grandmother loved to knit and crochet and was a great cook, and my grandfather was a wonderful storyteller. Throughout the years, I took many creative classes to find the medium that best allows me to express myself. I encountered glass kiln-forming through my boys’ elementary school art teacher, who offered a short introduction for the art volunteers. Intrigued by it, I continued to take classes at a local studio: Helios Fused Glass. I founded my studio in 2013, started creating and experimenting, and continued my education with nationally and internationally recognized kiln-formed artists.
We all face challenges, but would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As with all visual artists, the Pandemic threw a wrench into the flow of art shows, which at the time was my primary way of getting my art into the world. The technology helped smooth things out and allowed virtual meetings with clients and patrons.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I work in kiln-formed glass, polymer clay, and sterling silver. I create art glass pieces, jewelry, and commission-based site-specific installations. I most enjoy working on these installations because I like interacting and collaborating with my clients to create unique pieces that would complement their homes. Having a Psychology degree, I always find it fascinating to get to know them, learn about their stories and visions, and incorporate them in unique pieces suited to their environments. Another facet of my business is creating modern jewelry from polymer clay, fused glass, and sterling silver. It is wearable art displayed on a person rather than on a wall or furniture. Working small slows me to focus on details and figure out ways a certain piece might hang on a necklace or some earrings, and I find it rewarding to come up with different solutions. Last year I started teaching kiln-formed glass classes to share my love and knowledge for this medium and its unlimited potential. I currently teach at Helios Fused Glass Studio in Northwest Austin – renowned for its great resources, glass-working equipment, and friendly atmosphere. Sometimes I am more proud of my students’ projects than my work, as I feel that, in a way, their good work reflects my ability as a teacher. I am honored to have recently been accepted in a few highly juried shows, like The Woodlands Waterway Art Festival, Georgetown Art Center – a dual exhibition, and Old Bakery and Emporium – April 2023 show. I am working to make pieces for these shows and can’t wait to see them displayed.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc.?
I am an avid reader and podcast and audiobook listener. While working, I often listen to audiobooks, podcasts, or music. The two most recent books I read and listened to are “Tell the Wolves I’m Home” by Carol Rifka Brunt and “Anxious People” by Frederik Backman. They are two completely different books written in different styles, but they both attempt to convey the human condition and how humans relate. I have been drawn to books like these lately as I try to find the best in others in these trying times. As far as podcasts go, one of my favorites is “ARTish Plunge,” – a podcast about ”the curious relationship between artists and other professions, day jobs, or past vocations that have allowed them to make the art they do.”
Pricing:
- pricing upon request
Contact Info:
- Website: www.malinacipleu.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/malinacipleu/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/malina.cipleu
Image Credits
Malina Cipleu and AJ Hardy Photography
