ABOUT THE STUDIO

Nakshi Glass Studio

The Nakshi Glass Studio in Karen, Nairobi is quite a unique place. Our work spans from large heavy glass relief sculptures to hand-crafted jewelry. Everything we make is glass related.
Visitors to our space nerer really know what to expect to see there. mostly they are astonished at the scale and diversity of what we can create.

Our Mission

From the outset, our main goals were to develop a sustainable studio allowing development of new ideas and methods but also having an environment where private individuals and students can come and learn how to work with glass. Although our studio is not large, we have created some remarkable projects.

The Heart of the Studio

The heart of our studio and the main reason for founding it is a large glass fusing kiln. There are very few of these in Kenya. This kiln is a legacy of the Kericho Cathedral project. In the early days of the studio we were making the final glass artworks for the cathedral.

Notable Works

We made a set of three traditional stained glass windows for Francis Xavier Church in Parklands, Nairobi. The most important work we were engaged to make were four relief sculpted panels for the new museum at Uhuru Gardens. Although all the sculptures were created, they were never made into glass but four concrete panels were poured and moulds ready for glass were prepared.

Teaching and Learning

We have taught many students to create jewelry, learn how to cut and lead glass to create a panel or create a fused glass panel and even glass sculpture.

Dalle de Verre Developments

Recently, we have begun Dalle de Verre work for both furniture and architectural settings. We are interested in working with architects, developers and members of the public to be commissioned to create projects from design solutions to installation. In early 2024, we set a small glass furnace. This has enabled us to melt glass and create glass blocks for a method called Dalle de Verre.

Recycling and Design

There is a demand in Kenya for glass recycling. People don’t know what to do with empty bottles; some can be taken back to where they were purchased but most are thrown away. This small furnace allows us to upcycle this material into something wonderful that can be used to create artworks. Although an architectural material, Dalle de Verre can be used to make architectural works; these have the advantage over standard glass artworks that they are very strong. Using this material eliminates the need for the standard gridded steel frames. The glass itself is strong and is reinforced with steel designed into the structure of the window. We have designed and made several table and chair sets using this glass to great effect. They are envisaged for external use. We are designing the tables in such a way that a light source can be placed underneath to illuminate the table during the early dark evenings.