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 What is common between silicon dioxide and Anjali Venkat? It is
“glass” made from the chemical and used by Anjali to create
amazing pieces of art work.
Well, did anyone know that this viscous molten material can be
used to create some fantastic lampshades, wall hangings or even
jewellery? Meet Anjali Venkat, Chennai-based glass artist who
has given a completely new dimension to the way we perceive
glass. Anjali has been in the field of ‘art glass’ for about 12
years now and is the proud owner of a beautiful studio in Besant
Nagar displaying the wonderful pieces of her work.
 “I basically started with art glass in 1995.
I was interested in this field all along. So, once I got into
it, there was no looking back,” says a very cheerful Anjali.
This glass artist got into this form of art without any formal
training. “I never went for any course in fine arts. However, I
did a commercial art course and attended a couple of workshops
in Perth to enhance my skills.”
Everyone has an inspiration to go ahead with something. For this
woman, inspiration came in the form of a gift from her uncle.
“When I was 10, my uncle gifted me with a Japanese kaleidoscope.
I was completely amazed by the patterns it produced and the
colours. I think somewhere down the line, that did inspire me to
take up art glass seriously,” she chirps.
 Anjali has her studio filled with beautiful showpieces like the
Ganesha made of colourful glass, modern penholders, exquisite
Tanjore paintings and even neckpieces and earrings made of
glass. “When I came to Chennai in 1991, I initially learnt
Tanjore painting from Mrs Lakshmi Krishanmurthi,” she recalls.
Art glass has different styles. Anjali excels in soldering,
fusing, grinding and slumping glass to create the desired
objects. She does each and every piece herself to maintain
quality. “I do all my orders myself without anyone’s help. I
like it that way as it gives me a sense of satisfaction and
keeps my customers satisfied as well.”
 She gets most of the raw material, which are mainly coloured
sheets of glass, imported from the US at competitive rates. “I
ideally work with coloured and patterned glass. Once I have a
design in mind, I put it to immediate action. Most of the time
it involves soldering, using the soldering iron or I place it in
the kiln for fusing a few pieces together.” These things are,
however, done with deep precision and care.
 When Anjali’s parents realised their daughter’s tremendous
talent, they made sure that she pursued it professionally. “I
think it’s very important for one to pursue what they dream of
and let their kids take up whatever they are genuinely
interested in.”
Nevertheless, she describes this as a very expensive hobby. She
sometimes uses a certain glass type - ‘Dichroic’ glass - which
is perhaps as costly as some precious metals. The tools that
they uses also add to the cost. The kiln consumes a lot of power
and they also use special cutting tools with wheels made of
tungsten carbide. The pieces that she makes are priced according
to the creativity, material and the amount of labour that goes
into it. Items here are priced from about Rs 65 to more than Rs
10,000!!
 She also feels that this form of art is yet to develop in
Chennai and finds cities like Delhi and Mumbai providing more
opportunities. Anjali has a few students who come over and learn
this art form from her. According to her, it is the sense of
design, colour, experience, age and her frequent travel that has
helped her come so far. “The main idea is to be extremely
creative and innovative”, she explains.
 This immensely talented glass artist organises an exhibition
every year to display her works. One can also check out her
amazing pieces on
www.anjalidesign.com or visit her studio at:
H18/4, Arundale Beach Road,
3rd Street, Kalakshetra Colony,
Besant Nagar,
Chennai-600090.
Ph: 45511170
Mob: 9840076492
Well, for this woman, the path less trodden has paved the road
to success!
Sandhya Santhanaraman
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