Artists > Nelius Britz

Since his successful career as an highly recognized ceramic artist in South Africa, Nelius became fascinated with glass, and after formal training in 1992 in Oregon and at the famous Pilchuck Glass School in the USA, he has worked exclusively with glass. He pioneered the medium of kiln-cast glass in South Africa as well as other kiln-formed sculptural forms. He has exhibited his glass in several group and solo shows. His works have been acclaimed by local and international connoisseurs and he has become known as one of the leading glass artists of South Africa, with work represented in many prestigious collections.

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Glass artist
 
Nelius Britz was born in 1943 in Worcester in the Cape Province of South Africa and obtained a Masters degree in Botany at the University of Stellenbosch before the creative urge led him to study ceramics.  He studied for 3 years at the Harrow School of Art in London and then devoted himself to a career as a studio potter in South Africa for the next 18 years.  During that time he exhibited extensively throughout South Africa.  His ceramic work developed in form from essentially utilitarian ware to very sculptural pieces; and in decoration from traditional to leading-edge lustre techniques which lead to several large-scale installations abroad.
 
Nelius has always been fascinated by glass and from about 1990 he started experimenting with glass as a medium.  His interest quickly turned into an obsession and in 1992 he further developed his skills with studies In Oregon and the famous Pilchuck Glass School in Washington State in the USA.
 
As a natural extension of his ceramics background Nelius has primarily explored kiln-formed glass using techniques such as slumping, fusing and casting.
Since his full-time involvement with glass from 1992 he has exhibited extensively and is regarded as one of  South Africa’s leading glass artists and certainly a pioneer of  kiln-formed glass in this country.
Nelius' work is characterized by an extensive use of colour.  
Organic forms, and particularly those from the sea, have always been a major source of inspiration for Nelius.  Since he has been working in glass this has intensified partly because of the unique resonances between water, light and glass.  In some of his pieces there is a direct reference to sea shapes and the colours associated with the underwater world, while in others the association is more oblique.  His recent work also clearly alludes to his original creative reactions to the world of botany as well his love for pebbles, stones and rock formations and of the fossils often found embedded in them.
 
Nelius’ glass works can be found in several public collections in South Africa and also in the well-known  Broadfield House Glass museum in England.

After working from his studio at home it became necessary to extend his workspace for bigger projects.  In 2004 he created the Cape Glass Studio, just off the top of Long Street from where he now works and also where in 2005 he established the EDGE Glass Gallery, South Africa’s first gallery dedicated exclusively to Art glass, with emphasis on the best glass available from local artists. At the “EDGE” established and emerging glass artists from the whole of the Southern African region can be seen, grouped together with some famed artists from overseas.
Nelius collaborates with fellow glass artists on large architectural commissions.

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