Today we’d like to introduce you to Malina Cipleu.
Hi Malina, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in Transylvania, Romania, where I studied psychology before moving to the United States. Although I came to art as an adult, looking back, those two disciplines don’t feel as different as they once did.
My way of seeing began much earlier than I realized. I grew up surrounded by forests and mountains, and I spent almost every weekend in nature with my family. My father, a physiology professor, often let me look through his microscopes, revealing hidden worlds that existed beyond ordinary perception. Those early experiences taught me to pay attention to systems, relationships, and structures that aren’t always immediately visible.
Studying psychology later gave me another lens through which to understand those observations. It helped me better understand how perception, memory, and our experiences shape the way we see the world, and those ideas continue to influence my work today.
Glass became the perfect medium for me because it constantly negotiates between my intentions and the material’s own behavior. That balance of control and unpredictability has kept me engaged ever since. Over the years, I’ve dedicated myself to developing my own visual language and techniques, gradually expanding from individual works to larger installations and public art projects. Today I’m based in Austin, where I create work for galleries, private collectors, and commercial spaces through both commissions and independent projects.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the biggest challenges has been learning to trust a path that wasn’t linear. I came to art as an adult and had to build my practice step by step while continuing to learn both the creative and business sides of being an independent artist. There have been setbacks, rejected proposals, technical failures, and plenty of uncertainty, but each one has helped me refine both my work and my direction. Looking back, I realize those experiences were just as important as the successes.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My work explores how change, connection, and perception shape our experience of the world. It grows out of the balance between the fluid and the enduring—how people, relationships, and environments are constantly changing, while deeper patterns continue to connect us. The natural world has become one of my greatest teachers. Its rhythms, structures, and relationships continually inspire the way I think about change, connection, and perception, and I hope to bring some of that same energy and sense of connection into interior spaces.
Kiln-formed glass gives those ideas physical form. Each piece is built through multiple firings, layering finely sifted glass powders so the work gradually evolves through the material’s own response to heat.
These themes come together in my current solo exhibition, Open Thresholds, at Ghost Pepper Gallery in Austin open from July 28 – September 19. The exhibition explores the space between what we immediately recognize and what gradually comes into focus. Layered surfaces and interconnected forms leave room for viewers to project their own memories, experiences, and associations, making each encounter with the work slightly different. While each piece stands on its own, together they create an environment that reflects my ongoing interest in perception, transformation, and the quiet intelligence of natural systems.
One of my most recent projects is a permanent installation for the new Lake Hefner Golf Clubhouse in Oklahoma City, that I am currently working on in collaboration with artist Ana María Nava. Public art allows me to work at a scale where people don’t just look at the work—they move through it and experience it as part of the architecture. I find that especially rewarding because it allows those ideas to unfold on an architectural scale, where the artwork becomes part of how a space is experienced every day.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was a curious kid and loved being outdoors. I could spend hours exploring, watching bugs, or collecting interesting things I found in nature. I also had a soft spot for animals and was always trying to rescue any injured creature or orphaned baby bird I came across. For a while, I wanted to become a veterinarian. When I was inside, I loved reading and making things—crafts, drawing, anything creative.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.malinacipleu.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/malinacipleu/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/malina.cipleu
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MalinaCipleu
