Our vision is to raise the level of architectural art glass to that of a true art form. The finest artwork draws it’s substance from the artist’s personality and vision. We believe this substance can best be realized in a complex medium such as glass if the designer and fabricator remain independent. Like many other disciplines, it is only through specialization that the highest quality design and craftsmanship can be achieved.

In Germany, this effort is realized in the independent studio system. The foundation of this approach is the devotion to the art of glass. Derix has been operating in this manner since 1866.

Derix Glasstudios, Taunusstein, Germany

Some of the most refreshing work currently being produced is by artists who have very little experience in glass. We have consciously introduced and encouraged artists whose work we believe could translate into our transparent medium. These people are often not restricted by technical or contextual considerations that can unconsciously limit established glass designers. While their designs can be quite difficult to interpret, sometimes we feel the results can help expand the boundaries of what is possible and can even be imagined in glass.

We have endeavoured to produce an environment that is not a factory, but a meeting place, where many different types of people can interact. Artists, craftspeople, architects, and clients mingle together in a space and spirit that provides opportunities for personal relations and personal encounter. Very different and opposing views are expressed. A wide field is opened to the inquirer. Our studio includes a large gallery and an extensive collection of work by hundreds of different artists. We have an extensive slide and photo archive, and library of books on glass, art, and architecture. We hold several workshops and openings every year and host many international visitors who spend days or weeks with us.

In particular, the large studio structure provides a focal point where artists, otherwise working in isolation, can meet colleagues, and observe their working methods and results. This shared expertise and awareness the studio system provides is an important factor in the great advances European glass artists have made in the last few decades.

David Wagner Derix Art Glass Consultants

This collaboration process is far more complex than simple fabrication. The translation of expression from paper to glass requires a fundamental shift of thinking quite unlike any other medium. Derix employs no designers – artists are free to have their work fabricated anywhere else. But most artists who have worked with us, continue to bring their projects to us, and participate in the process of extending the technical capabilities of the studio. An example of this is our work with Johannes Schreiter in the development of a technique using a combination of plexiglass, glass and lead. This method was born as a result of the studio’s willingness to experiment. A process laminating cut glass pieces between sheets of clear glass without lead or adhesive was also formed in collaboration with Alexander Beleschenko.

Professionalism in a German Studio is at every level. Artisans are respected members of German society, and to quality for this position takes years of study and work. There is honor given to craftsmanship and it’s practitioners. One area where the artisans can find personal expression is that of technical virtuosity and innovation. The demands of collaborating with some artists are considerable; nevertheless, the artisans perform in an environment where they are clearly motivated by the challenge.

The environment we provide for artists in the studio is similarly positive and interactive. All artists are invited to spend time at the studio during the fabrication process. Our facility in Taunusstein incorporates fully furnished apartments for visiting artists and they are invited to meals with the family. They are free to participate in any aspect of the process. The studio is equipped to allow artists to view their work at different stages, including a 50 square meter viewing window where large projects are erected for inspection before completion.

The level to which artists become involved in the interpretation of their design varies considerably. The task of interpretation is a careful balance, with aesthetic decisions often shared and debated. One of our strengths is a staff of relatively young artisans who are not limited by traditional approaches to technique. Above all, the studio is flexible and dedicated to bringing the artist’s vision to light.

Derix Glasstudios has been producing architectural art glass since 1866. Up until the last 25 years, this meant stained glass or leaded glass, primarily for churches. The history of glass since then is one of enormous growth and evolution. Glass art progressed into the realm of fine art. This is partly due to some technical innovations and the development of methods that are more consistent with contemporary building techniques and architecture. Fundamentally however, this change is the result of the emergence of a broader range of styles and artistic vocabularies.

Wilhelm Derix IV assumed management of the studio 30 years ago with a vision to see architectural art glass recognized as a true art form. He realized that artists will approach glass as a medium of expression only when they know their work can be translated and executed without compromise. This meant technical innovation, a willingness to experiment, and modern equipment and facilities.

A more seamless approach to glass art had become necessary partly because of the way architecture and design have been moving towards a more minimalist, lightweight aesthetic. Basic units of building design are larger and surface textures smoother. Art glass had to forge a new palette to fit this language. But most important was the ability to accurately interpret and realize every aspect of an artist’s design.

A number of techniques under development for the last 20 years are now proven and in general use. They include adhesives for gluing and laminating glass, specially treated glasses such as dichroic, and the use of alternate materials in laminations, such as plexiglass, films, even paper and cloth. The traditional treatments of sand and acid etching have been considerably updated with different applications. Photosensitive and computer resists and silk screening are utilized with great expertise. Even the oldest technique of glass joinery with lead is now being performed at virtuoso levels of complexity not anticipated two decades ago.

These techniques have made art glass a truly contemporary material and applied art, suitable for modern architecture and aesthetics. They have also been difficult to develop and master, requiring much research and effort. But these advances have done much to liberate artists and designers from the limitations of traditional stained glass.

Derix employs no designers – all artists are independent and free to have their work fabricated anywhere else. These artists participate and often lead in the process of extending the technical capabilities of the studio. Derix consciously introduces and encourages artists whose work he believes could translate into this unique transparent medium. Their designs have often proved to be difficult to interpret, but the results have helped expand the boundaries of what is possible and can even be imagined in glass.

Derix has endeavoured to produce an environment that is not a factory, but a meeting place, where many different types of people can interact. Artists, craftspeople, architects, and clients mingle together in a space and spirit that provides opportunities for personal relations and personal encounter. The studio has a large and impressive gallery and an extensive collection of work by hundreds of different artists. There is also an elaborate slide and photo archive, and library of books on glass, art and architecture.

In particular, the large studio structure provides a focal point where artists, otherwise working in isolation, can meet colleagues, and observe their working methods and results. Since all the work produced by the studio is designed by artists who ultimately determine the quality of that work, great importance is set on this structure and the relationships formed there. This shared expertise and awareness the studio system provides is an important factor in the great advances European glass artists have made in the last few decades.

Derix is now moving actively to make this system available to other artists, particularly in US. Last year, their American office, Derix Art Glass Consultants was established to serve this function.

Collaborating with over almost four hundred artists worldwide, the studio is in a unique position to provide consulting to architects and clients to establish the best artwork for individual needs.