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Hoglund Art Glass Fires up in Jungle Paradise!

We had heard that world renowned glass artists, Marie and Ola Hoglund had opened their Hoglund Art Glass studio in the lush jungle of the Whyanbeel Valley, forty minutes north of Port Douglas in Tropical North Queensland. So we went in search of them.

Sauntering through plantations of waving sugar cane, the mauve flowers reminiscent of feather dusters… rattling over flimsy bridges spanning clear rainforest creeks, we kept an eye open for red flags…markers for the glass studio.

The narrow road meandered calmly towards the foot of the towering mountains, the rainforest closed in, brilliant blue Ulysses butterflies flitted around us…until…look, there’s a flag! And another.

We had arrived at Hoglund Art Glass Studio, set into a clearing on the edge of dark rainforest. Out of the gloom, more butterflies cascaded and strange sounds hinted at foraging orange-footed scrub hens or perhaps a stately cassowary.

Marie Simberg-Hoglund greeted us and showed us to the studio, where Ola and their sons work their magic with molten glass, plunging rough lumps into roaring furnaces, blowing, turning, shaping and cutting until they are happy with the form.

Ola and Marie learnt their art in Sweden and worked at Kosta Boda and Orrefors there, followed by a stint teaching in Swaziland. They made their home in New Zealand in 1982, rapidly becoming well known for their high quality blown glass, prized by collectors around the world.

In 2002 they built their winter studio in North Queensland. This is not only a change of place but also of pace, as this is where the couple is able to seek the inspiration to develop many new designs.

Aware of the plight of the world’s dwindling rainforests, Ola and Marie developed the Hoglund iconic graal collection, which celebrates the central role of rainforests in the balance of nature and their importance to the future of the planet.

Each piece is unique and a true collector’s item, signed by the artist. Made of crystal, the sculptural forms appear to float in space, reflecting light with such elegance that I was surprised to discover that they are quite heavy.

Marie and Ola, power-houses of creative energy also give lessons in glass blowing and fusing and slumping. In June 2007 they will open a cafe/gallery at nearby Karnak, the theatre in the rainforest…for the ultimate arts experience.

Perhaps you would like to join Artquest Port Douglas on one of their tours, which visit this exciting and professional glass studio.

No doubt about it, Hoglund Art Glass is fired up in more ways than one!

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