Craft / “Tom Rowney – Aventurine Spirit”, at Canberra Glassworks, until May 7. Reviewed by MEREDITH HINCHLIFFE.

“AVENTURINE” generally refers to transparent, dark-brown glass with sparkling inclusion of gold in the glass.

Such glass was first made in Venice in the 15^th century.

Tom Rowney is an extraordinary glass artist. This exhibition is a tour de force, and includes two bodies of work.

Rowney has extended the use of sparkly gold in a variety of colours in the forms in the main gallery. These forms are a new venture for him and are from the Tesserae Series, in other words, tiles. This series includes tall forms that are tapered at the base and the top, low, squat forms, and spheres. The curved surfaces of these forms display the fluidity of glass.

The “vetro a reticello” tiles  – glass with a small network of coloured threads glass that form a pattern –  are laid out and when pulled together create a tessellated surface. Rowney is a master of this technique and has used the forms to show it at its best.

Glass artists in Italy typically use dragons and dolphins in their work, and by using sea horses, Rowney is paying homage to them. They form the stems of several goblets being exhibited in “The Link” gallery. They are voluptuous and sensuous and give the person drinking from them a sense of luxury. The seahorses are different, and occasionally they seem to be winking.

These whimsical creatures lead the viewer into the smokestack gallery to see an array of glittering, sparkling objects.

Rowney’s skill in “vetro a reticello” adds to the luxurious atmosphere in this space. Two pink candlesticks are supported by pink seahorses rising from twining leaves. “The Seahorse Candelabra” is the piece de resistance of the exhibition, in greens, pinks, with goldleaf highlights.

The “Golden Seahorse Tazza” is the most pleasing for me. It is a little more restrained, being just clear and gold glass, with gold-leaf highlights. The bowl is supported by sparkling sea horses.

This exhibition of Italian-influenced glass is lustrous.

Rowney always understands that there is a point at which he must stop. This exhibition is magical in its execution, it is intriguing and strong.