Bio
Born 17th June 1952, Leicester, England
After working for over twenty years as a freelance jewellery designer/maker I
turned to working in glass in 1995. I have found this a wonderful medium for
personal expression and have been able to help to introduce other people to it
through teaching the technique of flame work. I also demonstrate and give
lectures. In 2001 I went to India to work with native craftsmen on new designs
for a commercial catalogue and since then I have taught in
Switzerland,
France, Germany, Holland, Spain, and USA as well as here in Britain.
I am a committee member and Secretary, Vice Chair and a Director of the
Contemporary Glass Society based in the United Kingdom. I am also a member of
the Association for Contemporary Jewellery, The Glass Art Society and the
International Society of Glass Beadmakers.
Statement
I
find it amazing and fascinating that consciousness is an electro chemical
process and that perception is entirely virtual, being processed by the brain.
I am doubly confounded by the fact that the brain works on a quantum level and
that quantum theory does not obey our accepted laws of physics.
I try to visualise these apparent facts through my work in glass.
I mainly
make wearable pieces because I am interested in how the wearing of a piece can
alter one’s perception of self.
Exhibitions
Currents Exhibition, ISGB, USA August 2008
The Kobe Lampwork Glass Museum, Japan, Commemorative Exhibition of Masters:
Glass Beads
2008
Glas wird Schmuck February 2008, Germany
Bulles de Perles Exhibition, Sars Poteries, France 2007
Creative Glass Exhibition Switzerland 2007
Glass 1000 miles August
2007, Germany
Perles d'Ecume, Musee de France, Berk-sur-mer, France 2006
British
Glass Biennale 2006, Stourbridge.
Wearing Glass, National Glass Centre,
Sunderland
May 2006
2nd Gather
2006, Himley Hall, West Midlands, May for six weeks.
New Ashgate Gallery, Surrey, 2005
Pismo Gallery, Colorado, 2005
2nd
Gather, Himley Hall, West Midlands, May 2005
Wearing Glass 2, Oxo Tower, London, October 2005
British Glass Biennale 2004, Stourbridge.
Jewellery Unlimited Exhibition, Association for Contemporary Jewellery, Bristol.
2004
Currency Exhibition, Bullseye Connection Gallery, Portland, USA, July 6th to
August 7th2004
2nd Gather 2004 Exhibition, Himley Hall, West Midlands, May for six weeks 2004
2nd Gather 2003, Himley Hall, West Midlands, May for six weeks.
2nd Gather 2002, Himley Hall,
West Midlands,
25th May for six weeks.
Brit Handmade,
New Delhi,
India 18th to 26th May 2002
Obsession Travelling Exhibition, Virginia, USA 2002 The bead I submitted sold
for the top price of $625 in the Obsession Charity Auction.
Connect exhibition, City Gallery, Leicester 2001
2nd Gather2001, Himley Hall,
West Midlands.
25th Art Clay Silver Show, Tokyo, Japan 2001
12th Annual Open, City Gallery, Leicester 2000
Light Phantastic, Plumbline Gallery, St. Ives 2000
New Designers, Islington, London 2000
2nd Gather 2000, Himley Hall, West Midlands 2000
Artists in Residence, Ceramics and Glass, DeMontfort University 2000, The Ark,
Leicester 2000
Contemporary Glass Society, Plumbline Gallery, St. Ives 2000
Karanis Gallery, Toyama, Japan 2000
11th Annual Open, City Gallery, Leicester 1999
Beads of Europe, Wohnen und Kunst Gallery, Hamburg 1999
New Designers, Islington, London 1999
1st Gather, Himley Hall, West Midlands 1999
Beads of the World, Broadfield House Glass Museum, West Midlands 1999
1988-91 Art of Lego Exhibition
The South Bank Gallery 1986/87
Four into Four, Four Seasons Gallery 1983
Leicestershire Guild of Craftsmen 1980-83
Shows
Art in
Action, Waterperry, Oxford, 2000 to 2007
Knitting and Stitching Show, London 2006 (7th year)
Bazaar, ISGB Gathering, Boston, USA, August 2003
Spring Fair, NEC, Birmingham 1989 to 1999
British Craft trade Fair 1987 to 1992(1992 Runner Up best
stand, Ted Mahony Awards)
Artweek, Leicestershire Museums 1987
Teaching
December 2007 opened Studio 19, The Old Dairy for visiting
International Artists and Tutors and my own workshops.
1999 to 2007 teaching at The Old Dairy.
2005/08 DeMontfort University, part time lecturer
Plymouth College of Art and Design, organised Sand Casting /Flame Work workshop
2007
Studio of Dora Schubert, Hamburg, Germany, 13th to 18th September 2006
Master Class with Elio Quarisa, International Festival of Glass, Stourbridge,
August 2006
Escuela del Vidrio, (University of Glass), La Granja near Madrid, Spain, 9th
to 17th November 2005
Stiphout Studios, Netherlands, short course, June 2005
Organised Kiln Casting/Flame Work Workshop for the contemporary Glass Society at
Creative Glass in Kent
Stages, Sars- Poteries, France, 22nd to 27th November 2004
TimberWolf Studios, Boston, USA, 3rd to 6th June 2004
Creative Glass, Zurich, Switzerland, 19th 20th May 2004
International Society of Glass Beadmakers Gathering, Virginia, USA, Advanced
class August 2002.
Worked with craftsmen in India, July 2001.
Advanced Flame work Tuition, Creative Glass, Switzerland 2001
Presentations
Lecture, Plymouth College of Art and Design 2007
Lecture,
Wearing Glass Symposium, National Glass Center, Sunderland, 13th May 2006
Lecture, Creative Glass, Zurich, Switzerland, 16th May 2004
Lecture, International Festival of Glass, Stourbridge, August 2004
Demonstration, Glass Art Society Conference 2004, New Orleans, USA 2004
Lecture,
International Society of Glass Beadmakers Gathering, Virginia, USA August 2002
Residencies
AA2A
scheme, Artist's Access,
University of Central
England, Birmingham 2000/2001.
Artist in Residence,
DeMontfort
University, Leicester 1999/2000.
Work in
permanent collections
'Thoughts Float Like Clouds' Musee du Verre, Sars Poteries,
France
‘Sea
Memories’ glass bead, Musée
de France, Berck-sur-Mer, France
‘Apogee 1’ glass bead Museo del Vidrio, Spain
‘Positive Thinking’ glass bead, Bead Museum, Washington DC, USA
Publications
'GlassBead' ISGB Quarterly
Craft Art Magazine, Australia
'Glass' Urban Glass Art Quarterly
'Glass Network' CGS Newsletter
Glass Bead Workshop, Jeri Warhaftig
'Masters: Glass beads', Lark Books
'Beads of Glass' Cindy Jenkins
'The Enamelled And Etched Beads Of Diana East And Their Intricate Images' Jim
Kervin
1000 Glass
Beads, Lark Books
Lapidary Journal article October/November 2004 Step by step article.
Helped to produce 1st
Annual Journal 2007
for
Glass Beadmakers UK
Helped to produce Newsletters online for GBUK 2006/07
Committees and society
memberships
Contemporary Glass Society, Britain, Vice Chair, Secretary, Director.
Glass
Beadmakers UK, founder member
Glass Art Society, USA, member
International Society of Glass Beadmakers, USA, member
Association for Contemporary Jewellery, Britain, member
Perles l’Art, France, member
Awards
1999 West
Midlands Business Link Trophy Competition, 1st place, Award of £250.00.
1998 Friedrich Wilhelm Muller Competition 'Amulet and Talisman' (Work included
in travelling exhibition)
1974 Royal Society of Arts Bursary £200.00.
1970 Sir Jonathan North Endowment Scheme Silver Medal
Education
and qualifications
2000/01
Connect Postgraduate Course in Arts Practice and Presentation, Derby University.
2000 Bild-Werk Summer Glass Academy, Frauenau, Bavaria.
2000 Teaching qualification level one, Art Clay Silver, Creative Glass, Zurich.
2000 Corning Studio, USA. Flame working.
99/00 Web site Design and Use of the Internet, Creative Network, UCE,
Birmingham.
98/99 ONCW Techniques and Technology of Glass, International Glass Centre,
Brierly Hill.
(Only Student to complete modules in all disciplines offered.)
1997 two months study glass bead making in Arizona USA with Kate Drew-Wilkinson
1996 workshop at Daedalian Glass studios
1995 Kiln formed Glass, Sue Shaw, Sutton College, London
1971/74 BA (Hons.) 3D Design (Interiors), Leicester Polytechnic.
!970/71 Leicester Polytechnic Foundation Course
Wyggeston Girls Grammar School
1970 GCE 'A' Levels: Art grade A, French grade E, Its prize Art
1968 GCE 'O' Levels: Art 1, General Science 3, French 3, Religious Knowledge 3,
Maths 4, English 4, Geography 4, 1st prize Art
General
In 1997 I returned to full time study in
glass followed by practice as an artist and teacher.
1992 to 1996 I worked for Specialist Crafts, formerly Dryad. I set up and ran
their new showroom and helped to promote the new retail side of their business
by producing work to illustrate their extremely varied craft products, also
researching and developing methods of use for the advice of customers and
helping to produce their catalogue.
1978 to 1992 I built up and ran my own jewellery business, repairing for the
trade and designing, manufacturing and marketing my own ranges of work which
sold through over eighty outlets around the country. I opened a retail outlet of
my own adjoining my workshop, buying and selling jewellery, taking on repairs
and commissions direct from the public and selling my own work. I also produced
and exhibited one off work.
In 1990 I took on a British Jewellers Association YTS student for his second
year and enjoyed training him. He achieved excellent results and subsequently
set up his own business.
In 1980 I curated and organised the first
exhibition of the Leicestershire Guild of Craftsmen at Leicestershire Museum,
New Walk, Leicester. I helped to organise subsequent annual exhibitions.
1975 to 1978 I worked for Leicestershire Museums and Art Galleries initially as
a technician, preparing and conserving items for the Schools Loans Collection. I
was promoted to assistant Designer and was responsible for redesigning the
Ancient Egypt Gallery at the New Walk Museum and the refurbishment and displays
at Melton Mowbray Museum and other galleries and exhibitions. I ran a team of
craftsmen, graphic designers and contractors during this time. In 1977 I took on
the responsibility of Temporary Acting Designer for all thirteen branches of
Leicestershire Museums. In 1978 I left the Museums Services to set up my own
jewellery business. |
 A
'Aladdin's
Palace' bead submitted for the 2002 Obsession Exhibition and auction
and sold for $625.
(£480.00 at that time)
|
