"It's such a great escape from work. It's really therapeutic and so different from working in the kitchen," Molema-Masters (35) said yesterday.
"There's lots of noise and crashing and banging and swearing and burns in a kitchen," she said, holding up hands covered with oven burns.
Molema-Masters has previously exhibited the works in Auckland.
"It's just a really good release. I can relax and go at my own speed, rather than having to madly rush around to get everything done by 6pm, or whatever, like it is in a restaurant."
Molema-Masters has been the Plato chef for the past three years and an autodidactic artist for seven years.
"I tried a year at design school, but I didn't like being told what to do... All the glass was collected from beaches and harbours around New Zealand. A lot of beaches have glass, although it has quite a bit to do with the tides."
The dozen works include illuminated glass totems, spherical lights and lamps.
"When you hold it up to the sun it has a magic about it. I also like the recycling side of it. Some of the glass is from the 1800s and is really old and thick."
Luminous Gallery has its official opening at 5pm tomorrow. The gallery will be open from 10.30am to 5.30pm until Christmas Eve.
