Glas & Glas
Delve into the world of Nora Ofelia Springael, a passionate glazier from Oud-Turnhout, Belgium. Embrace her artistic journey, from a chance encounter with glass to redefining stained glass in contemporary, innovative designs.
Edition 3 Feature
Words by: Nora Ofelia Springael
Location: Oud-Turnhout, Belgium
Photo Credit: ©Nele Daems Photography @neledaems.photo
I’m a glazier in heart and soul. A passionate craftswoman – that too. I have a mind that never stands still, I am a hard worker and I see beauty in everything. Even if something seems banal or mundane at first sight, I can easily discover beauty in it. Everything is beautiful; it just depends on how you look at it.
I rolled into the craft of glass art completely by chance. After a year of studying biomedical sciences in Ghent, Belgium, I realised that I had to go in a totally different direction, and I ventured down a more artistic route. I took a theoretical entrance exam to study restoration at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp and ended up in front of a jury panel. What kind of restoration I was going to do, I had no idea yet. Until someone from the panel suggested: “Ah, you’re from Mol, then you’re definitely going to start in the direction of glass?” (Glaverbel in Mol was one of the largest glass companies in Belgium at the time.) I agreed and that was that.
