Hi! Thank you for taking a look around my site.
Here’s a few things you might like to know if you’re interested in my work.
I’ve recently returned to glassmaking after more than 20 years away (a full-time design job and a baby didn’t leave me enough time to carry on making). I’m pleased to say that, despite the long absence, glass-blowing seems to be a bit like riding a bike (incidentally one of my other favourite things to do). Getting back into the swing of it hasn’t been too difficult - I had no idea if I would be able to do it still!
I’ve thought a lot about why I like working with glass so much. It’s a very instant medium, the process is quite fast and you need to think on your feet. I like the vague danger and excitement of it all, it’s quite a performance. I love the fact that the tools and techniques haven’t changed for hundreds of years. You only have a combination of heat, gravity, centrifugal force and hand tools to create a piece. The closest you can get to touching it is through a pad of wet newspaper which is used to shape the glass.
Where it all began
My love of hot glass started one day in 1989 whilst on Art and Design foundation course at Leicester Polytechnic. After only a day I knew I had to investigate this magic material further. I chose 3D Design (Wood, Metal, Ceramics and Glass) at Manchester Metropolitan Uni as it was one of the only multi-material degrees which included glass. Although I enjoyed working across different materials, I grew to love glass the most, and wanted to develop my skill level, which was limited to the few shapes I made for my degree show.
This took me to the (now sadly closed) International Glass Centre, in Brierley Hill, the heart of the old glassmaking industry. I was privileged to learn from one of the best, Malcolm Andrews, who with his lifetime of glassmaking experience was a brilliant teacher, glass-blower, and all-round legend! Keen to put my new skills to good use, I got a place on the Ceramics and Glass MA at the Royal College of Art. This was a brilliant couple of years where I met so many excellent tutors, technicians, visiting lecturers and friends.
After the RCA I launched a range of glass which was stocked in Paul Smith, Liberty, Egg and the Crafts Council.
If you are interested in becoming a new stockist, please get in touch.
