What does that mean, AsKoru?
The Koru is one of New Zealand's characteristic signs. Koru is the Maori term for the native fern frond, which is shaped like a spiral.
And then my name is Astrid. AsKoru is just the concatenation.
I'm not working alone. My husband Rud works glass as well, he does the silversmithing, and is also in charge for creating and maintaining our web site.
The objects and jewellery presented on this web site are all personally hand made by us. Particularly the glass art objects are created using an oxygen-propane surface mix torch using glass from Italy, Germany, the USA, and of course from New Zealand in our studio.
Any of the objects and jewellery shown on our web site were exclusively made by Astrid Christine or Rud Nicholson, the 2 artists behind AsKoru. The glass objects are properly kiln-annealed and hand-cleaned. We are self-representing full-time working glass artists whose work is strictly our own and created in our studio.
Our jewellery and other glass art can be purchased in our own gallery, in the online shop and in several hand selected top galleries and art studios in New Zealand and overseas.
Exhibitions
2004 Whakatane Museum, Whakatane
2005 Heritage Gallery, Cambridge
2006 as invited artists at the eastcapeART Gisborne Working Artfest
2006 Mazda Artworks, Auckland
2006 The Art Of Costume Jewellery Award, Auckland
2006 Art de Vine Art Exhibition, Gisborne
2006 Expeditions 2006, Metalab Studio and Gallery, Sydney
2007 as invited artists at the eastcapeART Gisborne Working Artfest
2007 The Green Exhibition, The Nikau Gallery, Mahurangi West
2007 MUSEE-ATELIER DU VERRE DE SARS-POTERIES, Sars-Poteries, France
International glass beads exhibition « Bulles de Perles, créations contemporaines en verre »
2007 as invited artists at the Pismo Fine Art Glass Gallery, Denver, « It’s All About Beads II »
2007 Kobe Lampwork Glass Museum, Kobe, Japan
2008 Glass Inspirations, Shanghai
2008 Kobe Lampwork Glass Museum, Kobe, Japan
2008 Art Glass Fantasies, Dubai, UAE
2008 Mazda Artworks, Auckland
2009 Kobe Lampwork Glass Museum, Kobe, Japan
We are proud to having our work represented in several collections all over the world.
Press & Media
Feature over several pages in the well renowned NZ House & Garden Magazine in July 2005
Feature in the American Glass Line Magazine February/March 2005 edition
Published in the Bead Review 2005 (The Art Of Beadmaking) book
Feature over several pages in Australian Beading Magazine, Vol.2 No.2 2008
Astrid Christine, born and raised in Germany, worked as a Technical Laboratorist and studied sculptural work at the The Academy of Fine Arts in Munich before an occasional certain web site visit opened her eyes about her true calling: glass. She has been a self-taught lamp work bead artist for several years now and started her active work when still living in Germany further years ago. It was only after she moved to New Zealand with her partner Rud, when she found enough time and lots of inspiration to do full time lampworking and developing her present skills. Rud does some of the beads as well and most of the jewellery design and making.
Astrid -
"I have been an artist all my life. I can't remember when I wasn't drawing, writing or making something.
I always had enthusiasm for glass art and collected all sorts of little glass sculptures and items over the years. Not enough that the cabinets in my living room were full of it I started to make lamp work glass beads and jewellery myself. I knew that this was where I wanted to be: designing and creating art to wear.
I was gleefully consumed with the drive to create small, intimate objects in glass. Manipulating hot glass is an exciting, joyful process. The possibilities are endless and there is not a day where I do not learn something more or try something new."
Member of
