Joy Meets Girl: Bolei Girl’s Happiness-Infused Glassware
Artist Jannie Lai crafts matcha bowls, cups, sculptures and more to bring out the joy in everyday moments.
Encircled with shimmering threadlike wisps and dotted with delicate jewel-hued orbs meant to mimic beads of water, Bolei Girl’s blown-glass matcha bowls and cups are unlike any we’ve ever encountered. In their creation, UX designer-turned-artist Jannie Lai aims to capture glass’s fluid nature when in its melted form. Along the way, she plays with light and shadow by overlaying swirls of color—hallmarks of her glasswork—to mesmerizing, kaleidoscopic effect. Even the acts of mixing matcha and finishing a drink are considered in the vessels’ hand-polished bottoms, which have a reflective, lenslike finish.
“These tiny moments in our daily lives should absolutely be celebrated,” Lai says. “It’s not just about making a beautiful piece that sits on the table and looks pretty; it’s something that you use every day.”
Crafting pieces that bring joy is the impetus behind what Lai calls her kawaii aesthetic. Her line also includes vases, jewelry and whimsical kagami mochi-inspired sculptures. “Life is like too serious nowadays,” she says. “Even humor can be controversial depending on what someone defines as funny. But joy, it’s hard to argue with what joy means, right? With what makes you happy?”
Available at Fishcake, 307C Kamani St., Kaka‘ako, @bolei.girl
SEE ALSO: Fiber Artist-Designer Amelia Samari Shapes Simple Rope Into Exquisite Baskets and Bags
Brie Thalmann is the home and style editor of HONOLULU Magazine.
