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Collection: Guido van Besouw

At the age of 26, Guido van Besouw began his career in the arts when he was given the opportunity to serve as an apprentice for renowned stained glass artist Anton Voorveld in 1977.

As a full-time glass artist, Guido began working on a set of windows and skylights for the Royal Hotel grill room in Durban in 1980. He was invited to a group glass art exhibition at the NSA gallery in 1984 and was inspired by the potential of this artistic medium after seeing blown glass by Shirley Cloete, David Reade, and Barry Thompson.

Ten years later, in 1994, he began exploring the potential of glass blowing and looking into the possibility of creating his own glass for stained glass windows. By 1996 he had built a furnace, acquired kilns, and most of the equipment required to blow glass . Early in 1997, Guido began producing glass on his own and gained experience as he went.

Guido has mastered the craft of hand blowing glass and is regarded as one of South Africa's top glassblowers. He has an Elle Deco International Design Award that he won in 2003. Having worked with glass for thirty years, he is familiar with the material and its possibilities, and possesses a special talent for balancing and matching colour. He finds inspiration in both the natural world and his extensive background in the design of stained glass windows.

Guido works from his studio set amongst the green hills of  Assagay, Kwa-Zulu Natal, near The Valley of a Thousand Hills. He creates individual works of art from the liquid glass that is created when fire and sand meet. The glass comes out of the annealing kiln three days later in all of its splendor, reflecting the hues of fire, sky, earth, and water.

Some of his commissioned pieces have adorned Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Luanda International Airports, The Blue Waters Hotel and The Royal Hotel in Durban. Various dignitaries from South Africa have given many of his glass artworks as official diplomatic gifts. His work can also be found decorating many game lodges in and around Southern Africa. There are over 400 stained glass windows that he has designed and made in churches, schools, country clubs, civic buildings and private homes in South Africa.


21 products
  • Vase - Gold and blue
    Vase - Gold and blue
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    R 2,688.00
    Sale price
    R 2,688.00
    Unit price
    per 
  • Paper weight lime
    Paper weight lime
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    R 1,500.00
    Sale price
    R 1,500.00
    Unit price
    per 
  • Bowl - Flecked gold brown
    Bowl - Flecked gold brown
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    R 2,112.00
    Sale price
    R 2,112.00
    Unit price
    per 
  • Gourd - Amber large
    Gourd -  Amber large
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    Sold out
    Sale price
    R 2,850.00
    Unit price
    per 
  • Fan bowl amber
    Fan bowl amber
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    Sold out
    Sale price
    R 1,820.00
    Unit price
    per 
  • Vase - Green gold tall
    Vase - Green gold tall
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    R 2,688.00
    Sale price
    R 2,688.00
    Unit price
    per 
  • Bowl - Green fan
    Bowl - Green fan
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    R 5,760.00
    Sale price
    R 5,760.00
    Unit price
    per 
  • Bowl - Pink rose
    Bowl - Pink rose
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    R 1,920.00
    Sale price
    R 1,920.00
    Unit price
    per 
  • Wine decanter - Pink swirl
    Wine decanter - Pink swirl
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    R 2,400.00
    Sale price
    R 2,400.00
    Unit price
    per 
  • Red wine dec
    Red wine dec
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    R 2,120.00
    Sale price
    R 2,120.00
    Unit price
    per 
  • Wine decanter - Gold swirl
    Wine decanter - Gold swirl
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    R 2,200.00
    Sale price
    R 2,200.00
    Unit price
    per 
  • Bottle vase apricot
    Bottle vase apricot
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    R 2,300.00
    Sale price
    R 2,300.00
    Unit price
    per 
  • Fan bowl oval peach
    Fan bowl oval peach
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    R 2,120.00
    Sale price
    R 2,120.00
    Unit price
    per 
  • Candle holder red
    Candle holder red
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    R 860.00
    Sale price
    R 860.00
    Unit price
    per 
  • Vase coral tree round
    Vase coral tree round
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    R 2,300.00
    Sale price
    R 2,300.00
    Unit price
    per 
  • Vase - Tall black
    Vase - Tall black
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    Sold out
    Sale price
    R 2,950.00
    Unit price
    per 
  • Vase - Rock Streams Blue
    Vase - Rock Streams Blue
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    R 1,850.00
    Sale price
    R 1,850.00
    Unit price
    per 
  • Bird- White Spotty
    Bird- White Spotty
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    Sold out
    Sale price
    R 1,155.00
    Unit price
    per 
  • Bowl - Spring Rose
    Bowl - Spring Rose
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    R 3,075.00
    Sale price
    R 3,075.00
    Unit price
    per 
  • Platter- Spring
    Platter- Spring
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    R 2,880.00
    Sale price
    R 2,880.00
    Unit price
    per 
  • Vase - Blue Mountain
    Vase - Blue Mountain
    Vendor
    Guido van Besouw
    Regular price
    R 3,460.00
    Sale price
    R 3,460.00
    Unit price
    per