An extensive and varied working life in the public sector has given me access to a plethora of people’s stories and glimpses into our wonderful individuality, different lifestyles and our commonality of thoughts, fears, hopes and aspirations.
My need to use my creativity, not just in solving practical work challenges, but to record my admiration of the human form and psyche led me through a range of evening and day classes in Life Drawing, Ceramics, Print, Painting and Glass.
Today I am an emerging glass artist, specialising in kiln-formed glass, having discovered the stimulating possibilities of fused glass when I put some small pieces of bottle, window glass, wire and copper into a ceramic kiln just to see what would happen.
Largely self-taught I take up the opportunity of glass workshops and masterclasses whenever I can in order to extend my understanding of what glass can be encouraged to do and the artistic thinking behind the fantastic glass work of others.
My journey working with glass to date has led me through a range of marvellous processes and forms and given me the extraordinary benefit of meeting very generous creative artists happy to share their time and knowledge.
Within my own studio I have developed a real passion for glass powders and frits as they give me the chance to make very beautiful wafer thin pieces from the tiniest particles of glass and also more robust forms using the Pate de Verre approach. As such they offer me a metaphor for the strength and benefit that can be found through lone individuals making positive connections – community collaboration being another of my passions.
Education and Training
FdA/BA (Hons) Contemporary Applied Arts – Hereford College of Art – Completed and Passed First Academic Year – 2005/6
Sculptural Fusing 2 day Masterclass – Lisa Pettibone – 2013
Glass Foundation Course – KT Yun & Helga Watkins-Baker – 2016 – The Glass Hub, Wingfield, Wiltshire
Printing Techniques for Glass – 4 day Masterclass – Pippa Beveridge – 2019
Pate de Verre – 2 day Masterclass – Alison Lowry – 2021
Experience
Workshops – Introductory workshops on various fused glass processes offered by me from my glass studio since 2016
Volunteering – I provide craft and art sessions as part of the Jamie’s Farm Organisation -Jamie’s Farm acts as a catalyst for change, enabling disadvantaged young people to thrive academically, socially and emotionally. (Hereford – Jamie’s Farm (jamiesfarm.org.uk)
Exhibitions
Glorious Glass
Curator: Contemporary Glass Society & the Artizan Gallery
Exhibition Space/Venue: Artizan Gallery, Torquay
Date: 26th November to 24th December 2022
Name of work: World Journeys
Selected Exhibitions
Stories – Whispers from the Past and the Present
Curator: Scottish Glass Society and the Contemporary Glass Society
Exhibition Space/Venue: Trades House, Glasgow and Wasps Creative Academy, Inverness
Date: Glasgow 14th to 21st September, 2022, Inverness 3rd to 28th October, 2022
Name of work: Jimmy’s Story & In the Shade of the Tamaron
Objects
Curator: Kimberley Lewis Blackwater Gallery Director
Curator: Cathryn Shilling International Glass Artist & member of the Art member of the Art Workers Guild and a Fellow of the Society of Designer Craftsmen
Exhibition Space/Venue: London Glassblowing Gallery, Bermondsey, London, SE1 3UD
Date: 1st July to 29th July 2022
Name of work: World Journeys – a collaborative piece with Yvette Bartlett BA Printmaker, MA Painter
Flow
Curator: Makers Guild Wales
Exhibition Space/Venue: Makers Guild Wales Gallery at Craft in the Bay
Date: 2nd April to 29th May 2022
Name of work: The Last Word
CGS Open Exhibitions
The Human Condition
Date: September 2022
Name of work: Secrets
Flora – ACGS Selling Exhibition inspired by Cathryn Shilling
Date: April 2021
A Postcard From… – A show inspired by Alan J Poole