This team shows what over a decade of partnership can bring to the art world. Their continued pursuit of creativity and visual expression makes for an unmatched level of sublime works.
How long have you two been on the torch?
Giovanni Buda: I first got on the torch 14 years ago while I was in college. I was studying interactive design, … and in my second year, I decided to transfer into the Craft and Design program in order to pursue a career in glass. I’m glad to say I’ve been able to work full-time on the torch since 2016.
Naomi Hernández: The first time I tried flameworking was in 2014, and then for the next decade I would occasionally hop on the torch for fun, maybe once or twice a year. I was mostly making chains to gift my friends and family. … It wasn’t until mid-2024 that I started apprenticing under my partner and learning to blow glass full-time.
Where did your journeys begin, and what motivates you to blow glass?
GB: I naturally drifted towards flameworking as I always wanted to make pipes. When I first entered the program, they didn’t allow us to make pipes, but by my fourth year, they accepted my final thesis proposal on a series of networked rigs. Those pieces were also the first pipes to be displayed in the Sandra Ainsley Gallery in Toronto. At school, I had endless time to tinker and experiment with what I wanted to make. That’s what I found so interesting, and still do: … always being able to explore new methods and techniques to achieve a certain result and being able to refine that process.
NH: My journey in glass really started with meeting my partner, Gio, in college. I was a film student. … So, when he transferred into the glass program, I started documenting a lot of his process. I found myself captivated by the cluttered intimacy of a flameworking studio… . All this time later, and I’d say Gio’s encouragement and passion towards the craft is something that motivates me. It constantly helps remind me there is still so much left to explore.
What are your favorite things to create?
GB: I really enjoy making hollow structures like my Sentinel rigs. It was a fun design that came together through experimenting with natural function while I was at school. … I’ve also had a lot of fun working with Naomi on our brand, Pending Approval, over the last year and a half. Recently, we’ve been doing more direct collabs with the Puffco attachments. This has been my first experience with designing concepts for an e-rig, so it’s been really rewarding to explore new areas of the industry. …
NH: My main focus is on realism, but specifically the objects that we tend to overlook. … I am deeply inspired by the work of Matt Eskuche, specifically the videos he would post online of his plastic soda bottle work. … I absolutely loved the idea of curbing the viewers’ expectations. … I bring a lot of that to my work; it’s the reason I set out to make a hyper-realistic glass pencil, as well as other small everyday objects. What has been really cool is seeing that evolve into the work we’ve been doing recently with the Puffco Proxy Core sets. Since the device is designed for discretion, it lends itself well to the idea of making work that is hidden in plain sight.
Where is the studio today?
NH: Our studio is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It’s a very small two-person studio, but thankfully, we were able to design and build it out specifically for our needs. We put a lot of thought into our space and are very grateful that we get the opportunity to work out of a clean and safe studio every day.
Do you have any openings or upcoming drops?
NH: There are some upcoming drops and events, but we can’t share many details just yet, so keep an eye on our page for more info! … In the meantime, we will be running Instagram auctions on new prototype designs as we make them.
Is there a website where people can purchase your work?
NH: All of our future independent drops will be on obzrvr.com but you can also find some work at a wonderful local shop called Glassology. The owners, Matt and Megan, are pillars in the local scene and have always been big supporters of our work.
