O mně – About me

Biography of glass sculptor Mr. Jiri Ryba

WORKS OF ART FOR INTERIOR or OUTDOOR DECORATION – GARDEN ARCHITECTURE APPLIED TECHNOLOGY: Melted glass/crystal

Address and Studio – Lomnice nad Popelkou, a town in the heart of the Bohemian Paradise
Born: 8. 9. 1938 in Stara Paka, Northern Bohemia
Studies: Secondary Technical School of Glass-making at ZELEZNY BROD (1953-57) in the Studio of traditional Glass mosaics.

During his studies two new studios were opened in the then new technology of MELTED GLASS under the guidance of Prof. Jan Cerny -the founder of this way of glass shaping and the world-wide known studio of prof. Stanislav Libensky with Jaroslava Brychtova. From the very beginning of the existence of prof. Cerny’s studio, Ryba was inspired by his master’s achievements, invention and subsequently he became his first assistant and technician. Not only did he work under the guidance of his Master, but in numerous cases he became the co-author. Since the death of the Professor in 1978 jifi Ryba has continued in the manufacturing process of artistic works , shaping own designs and implementation. In the beginning, he created smaller objects, artistic jewellery, souveniers or trophies – both realistic and abstract. After the Prague Velvet Revolution (1989) he has created a number of monumental crystal statues for interior or exterior use.

The APPLIED TECHNIQUE-TECHNOLOGY AND MATERIAL – this is practically the youngest technology of glass production. The process starts in the same way as sculptors do i.e. creation of a clay model, followed by the preparation of a specific mould. For each object -little or monumental- an individual mould has to be made. Only the highest quality of coloured crystal is suitable for these sculptures in order to achieve transparency, and remarkable colour shades and variations. This is due to the high contents of lead in the blanks – over 35%. This highly preicous crystal is being slowly melted and then cooled down (sometimes for more than a week – according to size, after which follows a laborious and patient process of cuttiong and polishing. Ryba does everything by himself from the plaster model upto the selection of the most convenient colouring and further enhancement by cutting and polishing. For better effect and stability, he occassionally combines his statues with metal, wooden or stone frames or stands. Here he is very selective in picking the best craftsmen as to their craftmanship and standard.

INSPIRATION: Ryba is a very social sensitive man. He respects and likes nature and is thus constantly isnpired by it. He also reacts immediately at the important happenings in the world’s politics and natural events (Sculptures like „The Velvet Revolution“, New York, the Sun, the Moon etc). He is often inspired by music (range of Mozart mementos, a Crystal violin etc). He is also very active in his home-town, preparing souveniers for official gifts or to commemorate special events in the life of the community. He also writes limerics.

HOBBIES: Apart from glass-workmanship, he likes travelling ,alpinism, photography, film shooting, drawing and poetry-writing.

PS:
A FEW WORDS ABOUT MR. RYBA EXPRESSED BY A REKNOWN ART-HISTORIAN OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC, MR. JIRI BOHDALEK, who has inaugurated a couple of Ryba’s individual exhibitons in the Czech Republic… „The development of Mr. Ryba is rather special. His glass doesn’t seek to impress people by all means. He doesn’t follow fashion trends and definitely doesn’t want to create sensation. His art ,“pushes“ fom/ard in the solid way of his creations, a perfect technical knowledge of the material and its decoration. Thus he demands from the observers a deep meditation. Apart from that his works of art are giving a complex impression in a correct proportion…“