Transplant

In this exhibition, glass artist Heather Kremen explores the link between plants and people - the stories of belonging, migration, and memory that bloom in every garden.

Aotearoa New Zealand’s native flora is striking and unique, often appearing unfamiliar to those newly arrived on its shores. For generations, immigrants have brought plants with them as a reminder of what once was home. These plants, grown for food, income, or simply for beauty, speak to a deep human need to hold onto our past while rooting ourselves in new soil.

Drawing on glass techniques learned across the USA, Japan, and Aotearoa, Heather creates stylised interpretations of familiar plants - forms that speak both to recognition and reinvention. Her process includes crafting intricate murrini (small, patterned glass elements) in the hot shop and at a tabletop torch, as well as using fused glass rollups, hot sculpting, and detailed coldworking.

Image: Heather Kremen Camellia, 2021, Bullseye Glass