Documenting Britain
As part of my project I will celebrate stained glass as an expressive art form in the 21st century, develop ideas that focus on interesting people, places and their histories, while trying to break new ground through an art form that has existed since the 9th century.
Making Colours Sing
One of the important elements of this project for me will be the opportunity to highlight the precarious nature of glass education in Scotland. As an Edinburgh College of Art trained glass artist I am deeply saddened by the fact that 2015 will see the end of Scotland’s last remaining degree level course in glass when the ECA closes its existing course in June. This will bring 100 years of tradition to an end and some will say ‘What now for glass education in Scotland?’.
I hope that by highlighting my own glass projects here that I may in some way be able to remind others about how vital such a course is and also how special glass is as an expressive medium.
For me glass will always be a mystery that I will probably never unravel. I am constantly surprised by it, it never disappoints, and just when I think I’ve got control it jumps up and bites me on the arse!
Its diversity is astonishing…
2015 will see work that deals with topics as diverse as Arts and Crafts, Guitars, Victorian Scotland, Skiffle, Equestrianism, and Post Punk Rock. Figures who will play a starring role will include Sir Edward Burne Jones, Bert Jansch, Sadie McLellan, Mary Magdalene, Edward Paolozzi, Debbie Harry, Tam the Labrador, and lost Beatle Stu Sutcliffe!