I began glassmaking in a production studio where I learnt how to make a variety products that were mainly based on traditional European forms. I then worked in East Asia for a few years where I was exposed to objects that differed significantly in both form and concept from those which I was used to. Since returning to the UK to study MA Glass, I have focused on looking into the story behind an object, using the contradicting physical properties of glass (ie. transparency and opacity, fluidity and rigidity) to investigate how the meaning and origin of an object or concept can be hidden or partially concealed, whether deliberate or not.

For the AA2A opportunity I would like to develop this idea by creating a series of pieces that, through an array of methods, hide intricate patterns based on historical artefacts, created in using a variety of techniques. Encased deep inside a mass of glass or hidden on the inside surface of a vessel, these elements will be obscured by the optical properties of the glass. I intend to make this a very process driven approach, which will require each piece to go through two to three cycles using the hot and cold working facilities, meaning access to a range of equipment is vital.

Working in an art college environment will allow me time to research historical and cultural objects and patterns from which I can base the motifs in my work, and enable me to engage in the critical process in deciding which arrangements work best, and continuing to develop those elements. I wish take this research to find new ways of interpreting the cultural history of craft.