Meet The Maker

Hello, I’m Gisela Spallek, the maker behind A Fiery Heart.

My journey into glass began in 2003 with an unexpected gift, a voucher from my husband that gave me something rare at the time: a few hours just for myself. With two young children and no family nearby, that time felt precious. What started as a stained glass class quickly grew into something much more. Over the following years, I discovered glass fusing and began building my first pieces step by step, alongside running an IT consulting firm in healthcare.

It wasn’t until I moved to Australia in 2016 that I took the leap into full-time artistic practice. Inspired by the country’s light, colour, and natural forms, I founded A Fiery Heart and began shaping a body of work that reflects both my journey and my surroundings.

Today, I create sculptures, homewares and jewellery that play with colour, transparency and light. Each piece is designed, handmade and kiln-fired in my Sydney studio. I also take on commissions and have presented my work at local markets and major Australian design events, including Finders Keepers, Makers and Shakers, and Handmade Canberra.

A Fiery Heart is very much a family-supported endeavour. My daughters often step in as trusted critics, helpers and creative sounding boards. And then there is Lilly, my ever-present studio companion, equal parts charming and distracting.

 

Photo: My logo as a fused glass heart.