Bibi Smit (1965) werkt al 25 jaar met glas. Ze volgde haar opleiding aan de West Surrey College of Art and Design in Farnham, Engeland, waar ambacht hoog in het vaandel stond. In 1991 richtte ze een eigen atelier op in Schotland. Sinds 2007 heeft ze een eigen glasblazerij en slijperij in Loosdrecht. De glaskunstenaar en -designer is daarmee een van de weinige in Nederland die alles zelf doet. Ze maakt series, unica en installaties, in opdracht of vrij werk. Haar ontwerpen zijn opgenomen in diverse musea en private collecties. Uit beurzen als Masterly en de Dutch Design Week Eindhoven komen optredens in tv-programma’s, (o.a. AvroTros’ Kunstuur), media-aandacht en nieuwe opdrachten voort.

Voor Smit is niets statisch. Dat glas een zacht, sterk, en levend materiaal is dat net zo in beweging is als het leven zelf, toont de glaskunstenaar in een serie zwarte torso-vazen. Deze trekt de aandacht vanwege hun wulpse vormen en sensuele poses. De verrassende brons-bruine binnenzijde roept associaties op met weidse luchten vol nevelige wolkenslierten. Daarnaast verrassende verstillende vormen en kleuren die steeds associaties oproepen met levende vormen. Bijzonder is de natuurlijke schittering van het glas die door de bewerkingen van de kunstenaar versterkt worden.

Bibi Smit, Son en Breugel, 1965

QUALIFICATIONS / ART EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE:

1988-1989  Glass Assistant at Lindean Mill Glass, Galashiels, Scotland
1987           Trainee with Willem Heesen, Leerdam, The Netherlands
1985-1988  West Surrey College of Art and Design, Farnham, UK, B.A. Honours 3-D Design, Glass
1984-1985  West Surrey College of Art and Design, Farnham, UK, Foundation Course.

SELECTED COMMISSIONS since 1996
2018 “Copier Unveiled”, Design commission Royal Leerdam Crystal, NL
2011 Design and manufacture of 7 awards for Dubo Limburg, Belgium
2008 Design and manufacture of 300 corporate gifts for company in Amsterdam, NL
2007 Design of “Beursobject”, (limited edition of 250, manufactured at Novy Bor, Tsjech Rep), Glaskunstbeurs, Leerdam, NL
Design of 8 “Unica” for “Africa aan de Linge”, Royal Leerdam Crystal, NL
Design and manufacture of corporate gifts for Katharos, NL
2004-2005 Design and manufacture of corporate gifts and unique pieces for Smart Group Holding BV, Vught, NL
2004 Glass Sculpture in glass partition wall for Kentie & Partners Architects, location house for handicapped children, Amsterdam, NL
2003 Design and manufacture of corporate gifts for Van Luyken Communicatie Adviseurs, Haarlem, NL
Design and manufacture of corporate gifts for AVR, NL
2002 Design and manufacture “Ledenobject”, (limited edition of 119), Society of Friends of Modern Glass, NL
1999 Design “Annual Object, Institution Cristal Supérieur 1999”, Royal Leerdam Cristal, NL
1999 Wall sculpture in glass and steel for Prins & Kentie Architects, location private villa on the “Veluwe”, NL
1996 Four vases for Historic Scotland, situated in Stirling Castle Chapel, Scotland

PUBLIC and PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
NN Group Art Collection, The Netherlands
National Museums of Scotland, Great Britain
Museum für Glaskunst, Lauscha, Germany
Dan Klein & Alan J. Poole (Private Collection of Glass)
Glasmuseum Alter Hof Herding, Ernsting-Stiftung, Coesfeld, Germany
Nationaal Glasmuseum Leerdam, The Netherlands
Museum Jan van der Togt, Amstelveen, The Netherlands
Glassmuseum, Lednické Rovne, Slovak Republic
Collection North Lands Creative Glass, Lybster, Scotland
Included in several international private collections

SOLO AND DUO EXHIBITIONS since 1992
2019
Solo presentation at Salone del Mobile, Milano, Palazzo Francesco Turati, Italy
Gallery A-Quadraat, Vorden. NL
2018
Solo presentation at Salone del Mobile, Milano, Palazzo Francesco Turati, Italy
“Glas en Keramiekbeurs” Leerdam, NL, “Copier Unveiled” – Presentation of new glass designs by Bibi Smit for Royal Leerdam Crystal.
“Meesterlijk”, Amsterdam, NL, “The event for design, applied art and food at the Westergasfabriek Amsterdam”.
2017
Solo presentation at Salone del Mobile, Milano, Palazzo Francesco Turati, Italy
“Vuurzand”, Glaskunstbeurs, Leerdam, NL (with Jolanda Drukker Murray)
“Meesterlijk”, Westergasfabriek, Amsterdam, NL
2016
Galerie A-Quadraat, Vorden (with Peter Harskamp)
2015
“Glaskunstbeurs”, Leerdam, NL
“Meesterlijk”, Westergasfabriek, Amsterdam, NL
2014
“Glaskunstbeurs”, Leerdam, NL
2013
“Meesterlijk”, Westergasfabriek, Amsterdam, NL
Galerie Norenburgh, (with Karel Tomei) Middelburg, NL
2011
“Meesterlijk”, Woonbeurs Amsterdam, NL
2010
“Future Memories”, Galerie Broft, Leerdam, NL
2009
Leerdam Glaskunstbeurs, Leerdam, NL
2008
“In Glas Ontkiemd”, (with Thea Figee), Galerie Het Gouden Schepel, Doesburg, NL
Glaskunstbeurs, Leerdam, NL
2007
“Africa aan de Linge”, Royal Leerdam Crystal, Leerdam, NL
Guest Exhibition, Leerdam Glaskunstbeurs, Leerdam, NL
2006
Open Studio Weekend, 15th anniversary, Amsterdam, NL
Gallery “Bel Etage” (duo exhibition with Gertjan Scholte-Albers), Amsterdam, NL
Glaskunstbeurs, (duo), Leerdam, NL
“Fragile Connections”, (with Elizabeth Swinburne), Gallery Leon Salet, Maastricht, NL
SBK Amstelveen, Amstelveen, NL
“Licht en Ruimte”, Abcoude, NL
2005
Glaskunstbeurs, Leerdam,NL
Vianen, Galerie de Oostpoort, NL
Wageningen, Gallery “Het Koetshuis”, museum Casteelsepoort, NL
2004
Vermeulen Art Gallery, Loosdrecht, NL
SBK Kunstcentrum Haarlem, NL
2003
Glass Gallery De Aventurijn, Epe, NL
2002 ”
Tranparency II”, De Boterhal, Hoorn, NL
Galerie a/d Markt, Brouwershaven, NL
Galerie Artra, Nieuw Vennep (duo exhibition)
2001
Glass Gallery Leerdam, Leerdam (with Floris Meydam) NL
2000
Townhall “Jagtlust”, Bilthoven (with Willy Belinfante) NL
Galerie Artra, Nieuw Vennep (with Frank van Eijndhoven) NL
1998
Galerie Artra, Nieuw Vennep, (with Annemiek Derkx) NL
1994
Town Hall, Balk, NL
1992
Glasgalerie Douwes Dekker, Utrecht, NL

GROUP EXHIBITIONS since 1992
2020
Gallery Del Campo, Wijster, NL
Glass Meet the Future Festval, (online festval), Nortlands Creative, Scotland
2019
Gallery Bonnard, NL
“Spring Exhibition”, Gallery “De Kliuw”, Heeze, NL
Masterly The Hague, NL
2018
“Spring Exhibition”, Gallery “De Kliuw”, Heeze, NL
“TRANS-FORM”, London Design Festival, Mint, London, UK
“Summer”, in Glassgallery “De Aventurijn”, Epe, NL
2017
“Kunstronde Vecht & Plassen”, Loosdrecht, NL
“Spring Exhibition”, Gallery “De Kliuw”, Heeze, NL
“L!CHT”, De Dillewijn, Ankeveen, NL
“HOW&WOW”, Dutch Design Week, Eindhoven, NL
“InterTwined”, exhibition, Provinciehuis Haarlem, NL
Unica Breda, NL
2016
“A Royal encounter with Dutch Design”, “Royal Showpieces, in stijl opgediend”, Paleis Het Loo, Apeldoorn, NL
“Masterly – The Dutch in Milano”, Dutch Pavilion Salone del Mobile, Palazzo Francesco Turati, Milan, Italy
“Zomerse Lente”, exhibition Galerie Polhus, Nijkerk, NL
“11th Biennial International Glass Art”, Roermond, NL
gallery De Chene, Belgium
“A Vases is a Vase is a Vase”, AD Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium
2015
DesignDay, Maastricht, NL
“Kunstronde Vecht & Plassen”, Loosdrecht, NL
Maison & Objet, Paris, France
“Royal Showpieces, a Royal Encounter with Dutch Design”, Paleis Het Loo, Apeldoorn, NL
“Birthday Celebration”, Glass Gallery De Aventurijn, Epe, NL
2014
“DesignDay”, Maastricht, NL
“Glass of the Netherlands”, Glass Museum Immenhausen, Germany
10th Biennale, Galerie Mariska Dirkx, Roermond, NL
“Kunstroute De Wijk-IJhorst”, NL
“Meesterlijk”, Design & Ambacht, Amsterdam, NL
“A-Quadraat”, galerie en Beeldentuin, Vorden, NL
2013
D(esign)-Day Maastricht, NL
“Glasrijk”, Tubbergen, International Glass Art Event, NL
Palace Oranienbaum, Germany
2012
Interart Beeldentuin, Heeswijk-Dinther, NL
Cannenburch Castle, Vaasen. NL
Dutch Design Week, Eindhoven, NL
“SuperdeKunst”, Utrecht, NL
2011
Galerie de Aventurijn, Epe, NL
“Beelden op Locatie”, Gouda, NL
2010
Galerie Sous-Terre, Primavera Kunstbeurs, Rotterdam, NL
2009
Galerie Sous-Terre, Aalsmeer, NL
“Glas, natuurlijk; stijl in 8 genomen”, Kasteel Cannenburch, Vaasen, NL
2008
Magik, Studio Groen+Schild, Deventer, NL
“Reflections: A Decade of North Lands Creative Glass”, Royal Museum/Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, UK
2007
“Van A tot Z” (Overview of European Glass Art), Galerie Het Gouden Schepel, Doesburg, NL
“A Vase is a Vase is a Vase”, A&D Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium
2007 Interart Beeldentuin, Heeswijk-Dinther, NL
“De Naam van de Roos”, Beeldentuin Hofstede ‘t Vagevuur, Odijk, NL
“Moderne Hollandsk Glas”, Lærken Galeria og Museum for Moderne Kunst, Nykøbing Falster, Denmark
“Masters and Techniques”, Het Glazen Huis, Lommel, Belgium
“Opaque Glass”, Gallery “Het Gouden Schepel”, Doesburg, NL
2006
Glass Exhibion in Keukenhof, Lisse, NL
“Glasroute Lier”, Lier, Belgium
“De Nieuwe Garde en Jonge Gasten”, Part of glass manifestation GLAS
Museum Jan van der Togt, Amstelveen, NL
SBK Haarlem, NL
2005
“Leerdam in Bloei”, Glasmuseum Leerdam, Leerdam, NL
Keukenhof, Lisse, NL
“Kralen”, CBK Gelderland, Arnhem, NL
“Van Hollands Helder tot nieuwe Romantiek; recent studioglas uit Nederland”, LEGIOkunst, Tilburg, NL
Coda Museum, Apeldoorn, NL
Van Tetterode Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
“A Vase is a Vase is a Vase?”, A&D Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium
Galerie Beeldlijn, Amersfoort, NL
2004
Galerie De Compagnie, Dordrecht, NL
Keukenhof, Lisse, NL
“Vazen”, No15, Laren. NL
“Het Meervoud van Glas”, National Glassmuseum Leerdam, NL
Interart Sculpture Garden, Heeswijk, NL
Stadsgalerie Woudrichem, Woudrichem, NL
Glass Route Lier, Belgium
“Glass in Historical Light”, Horn, NL
Galerie Terbeek, Kropswolde, NL
“Glaskunstbeurs”, Leerdam, NL
“Dutch Glass Art at Nordstan”, Götenburg, Sweden
Glass Expo at Keukenhof, Lisse, NL
2003
Cultureel Centrum Corrosia, Almere Haven, NL
Summer Exhibition at Gallery Het Gouden Schepel, Doesburg, NL
Glaskunstbeurs, Cultureel Centrum Het Dak, Leerdam, NL
Kunsttiendaagse, Bergen NH, NL
Holland Art Fair, (showing at stand of Gallery Artra), The Hague, NL
2002
“Contemporary Art in Glass”, exh. by Glassmovement.nl in Gemeente Archief Amsterdam, NL
“Museum Jan vd Togt exhibites Van Tetterode Glasobjecten”, Museum Jan vd Togt, Amstelveen, NL
“Kunsttiendaagse”, Bergen NH, NL
“Spiegeling, terug- en vooruitblik”, SBK Voorburg, Den Haag, NL
“On the Table and on the Wall”, Galerie Artra, Nieuw Vennep, NL
2001
“Glass Connections”, National Glass Centre, Sunderland, UK
“Kunsttiendaagse”, Bergen NH, NL
Stichting Beeldende Kunst, Kunstuitleen Ede, NL
“Art Session”, Galerie Retort, Amsterdam, NL
Museum Jan van der Togt, Amstelveen, NL
“Glass Houses”, Oxford Gallery, Oxford, UK
2000
St. Joseph Galerie, Leeuwarden, NL
“Water, a Source of inspiration”, Gorcums Museum, Gorinchem, NL
“Vrouwen in Glas”, Galerie Yorash, Valkenburg, NL
1999
“Vanuit een groot hart”, De Verrassing, Utrecht, NL
1998
“Glass UK, British Contemporary Glass”, National Glass Centre, Sunderland and then touring to the City Art Gallery, Edinburgh UK

1997
“New Glass”, Cowdy Gallery, Newent, UK
Expo Glass Art Society International, Tucson, Arizona, USA
The Strathearn Gallery, Crieff, UK
1996
“Venezia Aperto Vetro”, Museo Correr, Venice, Italy
“British Studio Glass”, Touring Exhibition to Bratislava and Prague (Slovak and Czech Republic) and London, UK
1995
The Garden Gallery, Edinburgh, UK
Scottish Glass Society, Annual Exhibition, Perth, UK
1994
Galerie De Twee Pauwen, Den Haag, NL
“British Artists in Glass”, Guinness Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
1993
Stone Mountain Highland Games, Atlanta, USA
International Autumn Fair, NEC Birmingham, UK
1992
Transparence Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
Barnes and Fitzgerald, Edinburgh, UK
Simpson’s of Piccadilly, London, UK
Craft Fair “The Tent”, Edinburgh Festival, UK

OTHER RECENT ACIVITIES include:
2006 Moved glass studio to Loosdrecht, NL
2006-2012 Committee member of the Society of Friends of Modern Glass, NL
2004 Invited to participate in the 7th International Glass Symposium Lauscha, Germany
Attended workshop with Boyd Sugiki at Pilchuck Glass School, Seattle, USA
2003 Artist in Residency (2-month period) at North Lands Creative Glass, Lybster, Scotland
2000 Invited to participate at the Lednické Rovne International Glass Symposium, Slovak Republic
1997 Moved glass studio to Amsterdam, NL
1997 Attended “Inspirational Workshop” at North Lands Creative Glass, Lybster, Scotland
1991 Set up own glass studio in the Scottish Borders

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2003 Guest Lecturer at the University of Leiden (Faculty of Creative & Performing Arts and the College of Visual Arts, Dance & Music, The Hague, NL
2002 Guest Lecturer at Edinburgh College of Art and University of Sunderland
1999 Lecturer 10-day “2nd International Glass Workshop for Women” at Nuutajärvi, Finland (Häme Polytechnic, Wetterhoff School of Crafts and Design)
1998 – 2006 Co-ordinator Hot Glass workshop programme, head lecturer glassblowing workshops at Van Tetterode Hot Glass Studio, Amsterdam, NL
1997-1998 Supporting the establishment of Van Tetterode Hot Glass Studio, Amsterdam, in charge of Hot Glass workshop programme development
1996 Guest Lecturer at Denmark Design School, Copenhagen, Denmark
1995-1997 Part-time lecturer and head of the “Hot Glass”-department at the B.A. Honours 3- Dimensional Design (Glass, Architectural Glass, Ceramics)
Programme at the University of Sunderland, England
1991-1995 Visiting Lecturer at the Glass Department, Edinburgh College of Art, Scotland
1990 Conducted two 5-day workshops at the Art Glass Centre, Schalkwijk, NL

COMPETITIONS AND AWARDS
2003 Awarded an Artist in Residency (2-month period) at North Lands Creative Glass, Lybster, Scotland
1997 Grant from The Hope Scott Trust, Scotland, to attend a glass workshop at Lybster, Scotland
1996 “Finance for Small Business Scheme” grant for purchase of glass diamond saw
1991 “Finance for Small Business Scheme” grant for purchase of lathe for glassgrinding & polishing
1991 PSYBT interest-free loan for new business start-up
1991 Livewire Business Award, runner-up in the Borders Region, Scotland
1988 Work selected for “New Glass Review 9”, Corning, New York, USA
1987 Finalist Rosenthal “Jugend Formt” Mathildenhöhe Award, Darmstadt, Germany, work selected for exhibition.

LITERATURE
2020 Article in magazine “Herenhuis” nr 77 (may/june 2020) pages 48-49-50-51
2019 Article in magazine “Glas” 2019/2 by Piet Augustijn, p 68-69
2018 Article in magazine “Meubel+”, october 2018, by Simone van der Lee, p 16-17
2018 Article in Qualis magazine, year no 16, nr 3, by Monique van Empel
2013 ‘Dit is Meesterlijk – historisch vakwerk als inspiratie voor hedendaagse vormgevers’, NL
2013 Glasrijk Tubbergen, International Glass Art Event, NL
2012 “Dutch Design”, Huis van Oranje, Paleis Oranienbaum
2010 Newspaper “Gooi- en Eemlander”, lifestyle magazine, autumn issue
2006 Catalogue: “Reflections: A Decade of North Lands Creative Glass”, Scotland
2006 Catalogue: “The Glass Age: New Guard & Young Fellows”, NL
2005 “Fjoezzz”, kwartaalblad van de Vereniging Vrienden van Modern Glas, issue 4, p14-15
2001 “Sunderland Glass Connections”, catalogue, University of Sunderland, England
2000 “This Side Up!”, issue 10, summer 2000, p8-9
1999 “This Side Up!”, issue 7, autumn 1999, p27
1998 Glasbulletin Vereniging Vrienden van Modern Glas 12th year, issue 4, p11-13
1996 Venezia Aperto Vetro (International New Glass), EBS, San Giovanni Lupatoto, Verona, Italy
1993 Lexicon Moderne Nederlandse Glaskunst 1900-1992, Antiek Lochum b.v., Lochum,