Artist’s Statement:

I taught myself to slump glass after my son gave me his kiln 10 year ago. Glass is a versatile medium to work with, and I am constantly trying new techniques – I particularly like the effect of copper or cobalt oxides, which not only give the glass colour, but create bubbles that both add texture and sparkle in the light. Not every experiment works as planned, but the mistakes can lead me to new and interesting techniques. Taking on commissions gives me challenges that I enjoy, such as tailoring a spiral of fish to fit a particular location or creating a glass lobster! I’ve recently started experimenting with a wider range of colours in abstract patterns for vases. What’s next? I’m experimenting with stained glass. Whether or not I succeed in making something I’m proud enough of to display remains to be seen…..