Page 20 - Fiji Traveller 7

Hot Glass Fiji

Hold this, roll this, sit here and blow slowly. If you are
a fan of ‘Blown Away’, Netflix’s strangely compelling
competitive glass blowing show, you may have thought,
‘That looks like fun, I’d like to try that.’
The onscreen glass artists, and the in-real-life
glassblowers at Hot Glass Fiji in Korotogo make it look
deceptively easy. As we discovered, there is a lot to think
about and do when you get in front of a
glass kiln yourself.

But creating your
own bowl or vase is a fulfilling and
unusual experience.
Hot Glass Fiji is on Korotogo’s Sunset Strip. You enter
from the road, strolling past a carved balabala figure
adorned with a spiky glass headdress, ascend a few
steps and are greeted by the quiet hiss of the kiln and
an open showroom, displaying the workshop’s famous
glass and wood tanoas, handblown fruit, vegetables and
coconuts, vases, bowls, lamps and other treasures.
The workshop shares the same space. You are
welcome to sit and watch the team at work as they wield
iron rods tipped with glass from table to kiln to workbench
back to kiln, or you can try it yourself.
To do that, you will don an apron and gloves like oven
mitts and follow the expert’s instructions. You can choose
the colours and design you want (dappled or swirled) and
then go to work. I needed a lot of instruction; my teenage
daughter less so - clearly her hand-eye coordination is a
bit better.
Hot Glass Fiji founder, Alice Hill exhibits in Suva and
her work can be seen in several resorts and many local
homes throughout Fiji. She’s committed to experimenting
with form and her creations range from chandeliers
and dramatic installations, to delicate renderings of ota
fronds.
As for your own work, you’ll need to wait a couple
of days for firing and cooling before you can pick it up
(or have it shipped to your hotel). Having something
so lovely—if in my case imperfect—in your home is a
wonderful reminder of time spent in Korotogo.

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