Glass is my passion. I am drawn by its visual appeal, which for me lies in the combination of colour, transparency, light, air and texture. The practical appeal lies in the diverse creations possible - from functional to ornamental pieces, be they abstract or figurative.
I work with private clients, businesses and the community on a range of possibilities - from artworks and commissions designed and created by myself, workshops which I run here in our Devon studio, to supplying materials and sharing my facilities with local artists.
Do explore my site to learn more about what I offer.
Read on to find out about my background, inspiration and techinques.
Original, Dynamic, Fabulous!
I like to work in a semi-abstract way, with the initial concept often starting from natural forms.
I take inspiration from the sea in particular to create pieces which reflect my love of colour, texture and sensuous shapes.
Oceanic themes of movement and fluidity, with the mesmerising colours of marine life and the forms of flora and fauna in and around the coastline, stimulate many of my ideas – from flowing seaweed, frothy waves and corals, leaping fish, or ripples and shells found in the sand.
“We love our new work, more than we could have asked for. Steve's made a lovely piece for us”
— DUNCAN AND ELAINE BEXTOR
Chance discovery
I discovered glass quite by accident in my 30s, whilst browsing in a bookshop. Looking for a book on photography, I picked out the wrong one, which happened to be about North American glass art. It fell open at a photo of a glass bowl by Dale Chihuly - and I was immediately blown away! I knew there and then that this was what I wanted to do. I took myself off to college as a mature student, first undertaking an Art Foundation course at Shrewsbury College, and then a degree in Glass at the University of Wolverhampton.
That was back in the 1990s. After graduating it took a few years to get my act together, and then in 2002 I established my first small studio making glass tiles, with the help of my wife Hannah who has worked with me ever since. Hannah looks after the business side of things, enabling me to concentrate on what I do best – designing and making.
Since then we have grown the business, moving from Shropshire to Pembrokeshire and more recently to Devon, where we have a modern riverside studio in Totnes.
I now design and produce a wide range of glasswork for homes, hotels, hospitals and commercial spaces – from ornamental pieces such as sculptural bowls, through to windows and large-scale wall features. We have built up a client base which includes private glass collectors, architects and interior designers, galleries and retailers. Much of our work comes from recommendation, and from returning customers. Commercial clients have included Hilton Hotels, PA Consulting, Kraft Foods, Apollo Medical, and various NHS Trusts. For several years I have been supplying John Lewis stores on an ongoing basis with my handmade glass splashbacks.
My techniques
Each piece of my kiln-formed glass is unique, and made using specialised techniques I have honed over the years.
I apply fine enamel powders to the glass, rather than working with pre-coloured glass. This use of enamels enables me to create unique textures, patterns and blended shades which cannot be achieved by any other method, giving my work its distinctive style.
High temperatures fuse the layers of colours and glass together, and some pieces require multiple firings. To create three-dimensional forms and relief in my work, I often ‘slump’ the glass over moulds which I make myself. My signature sculptural bowls are created in moulds which are partially destroyed in the firing process and have to be rebuilt each time - meaning each bowl has its own unique shape.
After firing in the kiln, I grind and polish the edges of my bowls to a beautiful finish. This is a painstaking process using a succession of diamond pads on a grinding machine.
Would you like to find out more? I enjoy sharing my knowledge and experience of enamels with others, and I offer workshops in glass fusing with enamels for those who’d like to try it out. A word of warning though – you may get hooked like I did!
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