Eva Polgary: Seeing people happy using my glassware makes me happy

The Cocktail Balance 2.0 features drinks in bespoke glasses, specifically tailored to each cocktail. Eva Polgary is one of the two designers who developed the glasses in the book. We talked to her about how she got into glassmaking, the process of making glassware, and the final product.

The Cocktail Balance: How did you get into glass design/fabrication?

Eva Polgary: I became interested in working with glass during my bachelor studies at the Slovak University of Technology. Glass as a material has excellent aesthetic and optical properties. I decided to deepen my knowledge and that is why I did a study stay at the Prague UMPRUM under the guidance of Rony Plesl. Later I completed my diploma thesis under the guidance of Petr Olah, who is the author of the design of the trophies for the Tour de France. During my studies I visited many glass workshops where I got inspiration, e.g. Murano (IT), Saint Louis (FR), Leerdam (NL), London Glassblowing (UK), Moser (CZ) and others. During my work I have mainly designed drinking and product glass but I have also tried my hand at free-form fused glass sculpture, where I have made glass sculptures.

Can you give us an insight into the processes involved in glassmaking from design to final product?

The production process depends on the desired target product. In our case it was a drinking glass. It all starts with an idea, which is translated into a design. This is followed by the production of the wooden or metal mould and then comes the patterning. Patterning is the process of creating the first prototypes of the glasses. We are usually talking about dozens of samples. These are worked on by a cutter and, depending on the design, the glasses are sent for further production where the final design is completed by other techniques such as sandblasting, lettering, glass painting, engraving and others. Then comes the product testing phase, where the prototypes are put to use for the purpose for which they were designed. Here, the practicality of the design is verified, and if everything is in order, the glasses can be mass-produced (hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands of pieces). If any shortcomings are found in use, the whole process must be repeated again.

Where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration mainly in nature and the world around me. Of course, my work and study placements abroad are enriching for me. Recently I have spent a lot of time in Italy, especially in Venice and Murano but also in Ancona and Rome. Visiting foreign glass workshops and studios has been beneficial for inspiration. Apart from visiting foreign glass studios, I read a lot, both professional and scientific glass magazines, and books. It is important to have an overview of new technologies but also the history of glass. Overall, contemporary art is also great inspiration.

Glass designed by Eva Polgary for The Cocktail Balance 2.0 book.

What do you like about designing glass? What are some frustrations?

The great thing about designing glass is that I can see the real result of my work in a relatively short time. At the same time, it always makes me happy to see someone using the products I've designed and being happy with them. The frustrating thing is the high cost of production, glass is a beautiful but expensive material. All the glass I design is handmade by professional craftsmen.

What elements do you keep in mind when designing glass?

Not to go against the material and not to go against the human nature of the glass master. Every material is specific. With glass, sharp edges are not appropriate. All the shapes I design are rounded. Of course, there are some size limitations when handmaking glass shapes. If I want to create an object that is formed by the technique of blowing glass into a mould, it cannot be an unlimitedly large shape. Objects that are 50cm or more in size are problematic to handle and to grind, they give glass masters a hard time. It's always a matter of consideration whether it is then appropriate to create such objects by hand.

How can glass affect the beverage experience? Why is the glass important?

It has a big impact on the experience of the drink! There is no glass like glass. Crystal has completely different properties than, for example, a sour pickle bottle made of glass. Crystal glass has its own specific shine, colour, and sound (when we cheer it tinkles more sonorously), not to mention the thinness of the wall that we can achieve with crystal glass. The right glass is important because of the material it is made of, the technique it is made with and its shape. The shape alone can enhance the drinking experience. The right shape can support the drink that is in the glass. It can develop its aroma and thus support the taste of the drink.

Glass designed by Eva Polgary for The Cocktail Balance 2.0 book.

What would you like bartenders/bars to know when ordering glassware or collaborating to design bespoke products?

There are two variables that are unfortunately challenging in this type of collaboration. One is time and the other is money. Unique bespoke designs and handmade drinkware cannot be compared to industrially produced glasses. Handmade will never even come close financially to machine made. On the other hand, there is the time commitment. It takes some time to develop a suitable shape. This process also cannot be compared to the process of ordering an existing cup over the internet.

The great advantage of handmade and bespoke design is the huge possibility of personalising the cup. There is the ability to design and create a shape that could not be machine made or work with detail that is not possible in machine production. It's up to the bartender's discretion as to what kind of glass they opt for. Of course, today there are also high-quality machine-made glasses at a reasonable price. But when he wants something unique, handmade and designed specifically for his bar, he has to factor in higher production costs. At the same time, too thin-walled glass and some finishes of glass products are not suitable to be washed in a dishwasher. A suitable compromise may be to equip his bar in part with glasses that are machine-made and then have a few unique designs custom-designed.

Thank you for talking with us!

Glass designed by Eva Polgary for The Cocktail Balance 2.0 book.

Eva Polgary is a product designer who works with materials such as glass, ceramics and porcelain in her work. She connects traditional craftsmanship and the spirit of the present time, which it brings to all its original products.

For the last year, she has been dealing with design for the night in her work, creating works whose aesthetics work during the twenty-four hours of the day and night. during the day her works have different visual qualities than during the night, in the darkness, combining materials such as glass and porcelain with luminescent pigments that have the ability to glow in the dark. Her goal is to create works that will amaze the viewer even after the sun goes down or after the lights in the room go out. The main idea of ​​her work is transience as an essential quality of being, and at the same time a combination of beauty and sadness, the beauty of a unique moment and the sadness of its passing.

Eva Polgary received a nomination in the Slovak National Award for product design in 2023 and a nomination in the PULSE Awards 2023 in the experimental design category. She is currently conducting her doctoral research at the Slovak Technical University in Bratislava; during her studies she has completed study stays in Italy and in the Czechia at the UMPRUM in Prague.

Glass designed by Eva Polgary for The Cocktail Balance 2.0 book.