Meet the Maker: HotHaus

Tell us about who you are.

We are HotHaus Glass Studio—a vibrant, predominantly female-led and operated glassblowing studio founded by artists Amanda Dziedzic and Laurel Kohut. Based in Heidelberg West, we are a celebration of traditional glassblowing, reimagined through a modern, creative lens.

At HotHaus, we’re passionate about creating beautiful, functional glassware—from homewares and drinkware to lighting and art pieces—all made in-haus. Just as importantly, we’re committed to fostering a supportive, inclusive environment where women can thrive, develop their skills, and grow their artistic practice.

Our studio doubles as a collaborative hot glass space, where fellow artists and designers come together to experiment and create. We’ve partnered with leading names like Jardan, CocoFlip, Monash University, and the Melbourne Film Festival, and our work is featured at design-forward stockists including the NGV Design Store, JamFactory Contemporary Craft and Design, and Canberra Glassworks.

At the heart of everything we do are our core values: Good Design, Good Glass, and Good Times. HotHaus is a space where craftsmanship, creativity, and community come together—one piece of glass at a time.

Is glass blowing a trade?

100%. I think it is an interesting trade because it is an artistic based craft, but make no mistake, it is a trade and we work HARD.  Both Laurel and I (Amanda) trained as production-based glass blowers at JamFactory in Adelaide. This really installed both our skill set and our work ethic, which we pride ourselves on. So, yes, I think it is a trade, but a trade of skilled artisans, I guess? Trade, practice, passion, and glass blowing are all these things for us.

Tell us about some of the exciting skills and techniques involved in working with glass.

A big part of glass blowing is about the team. We rely on each other and skilled assistants to make our work. I think it is that sense of camaraderie that most glass blowers thrive on. A skilled team is a beautiful thing to watch on the glass. Especially in production glass blowing, which ideally is blowing the same thing over and over, the team that is comfortable, skilled and adept at what they are doing allows the artist to enter into the flow state. It is still my favourite way to work. Once a production glassblower, always a production glassblower…

What’s challenging about those skills/the work?

The physicality of the job can be challenging. We rely on our bodies to do all the work for us, and some days that can be tough. Heavy, challenging, lots of repetitive motions, it becomes imperative that you take really good care of your body. And don’t forget the ultimate challenge of the HEAT you are working with. Standing in front of a massive heat source for 8 hours a day can get a little weary! This is not really a job you can snooze on; you've got to have your wits about you when you are working with hot, molten glass. Eye on the prize at all times!

What made you want to learn these skills?

While the physicality of the job is one of the challenges, it is also one of the things I love. I love working with my hands. I love expanding on my skills. Working with a material in multiple states is exciting! I also, at heart, really love making utilitarian forms. I love designing and making vases for floral arrangements. I want people to have these in their homes and enjoy them every day. I have been blowing glass for nearly 20 years, but I still have things to learn. Techniques to practice, colour combinations to discover. 

What are some of the bigger, more exciting projects you’ve worked on?

We have been fortunate in our careers to work on lots of interesting and exciting jobs. Designing and releasing our own range of lights, HAUSLIGHTS, for last year's Melbourne Design Week is definitely up there. We transformed a whole gallery to promote our lights and launch them to the world. We are also very proud of our involvement with the Melbourne International Film Festival. Three years ago, we were asked to design their awards, and we are still making them today! I absolutely love that design and think it is the epitome of all things glass, definitely one of my proudest achievements. We also LOVE the chance to make our own exhibition-based works. Earlier this year, Laurel was chosen as one of the finalists for the Tom Malone Glass prize, probably Australia’s most important glass prize. Our best is definitely yet to come, though, we are setting our sights high and looking to create a large-scale installation.

Any advice for those wanting to enter the glassblowing trade?

Skill up. It is a tricky trade to get into because it is SO unique in the skill set, and it is not something you can practice at home. That being said, there are multiple studios out there taking the reins for education and offering classes, and we are one of them! If you’d like to come try your hand at glassblowing, check out our selection of classes via our website and if you use the code “SUKSENTME”, we can even offer you a lil discount to come try! We’d love to see you in Haus because we believe creativity is for everyone.

You can find out more about the amazing work from HotHaus via their Website and Instagram.