From a young age it has been very important to me to always express creativity, whether it be arranging leaves in the garden, to drawing a picture, to taking photographs. Developing a set of skills to make objects is the thing that drives me in life and my main goals are to become a highly skilled craftsperson to create quality produce.
My time in the Glass and Ceramics department at Sunderland University did initially seem geared to producing artists with heavily conceptual outcomes to project briefs, whilst developing skills to make art. As I have progressed towards the final stages of my second year, there is a sense of acceptance for those of us who are learning these techniques to put to use for the love of the materials, to then sell on for a profit. The dream is to eventually own my own business, making and selling my creations through fairs and markets, online stores and hopefully one day my own shop.
After a couple of years away from education it became increasingly evident that working several non-creative jobs was not a life I had hoped for. Who says that we can’t make a career out of something we love and want to share with the world?
Passion for material is vital to the progression of my work. Combining glass and silver and precious stones drives me to keep learning everyday. It can be hard to see how this will all come together someday, but I definitely feel I am driven enough to make it happen. For now, I’m starting at the bottom and learning as many skills as I can until I can safely say that my produce is worthy of sale.
The people around me at university and my adult learning course have taught me it is always best to ask questions. Without speaking to people and finding things out for myself I don’t think I would be where I am today. I feel far from ready to sell my work, as a perfectionist it is important to me that it is of the highest standard it can be and yet friends and acquaintances are eager to encourage me into commissions already.
Hopefully one day I will be able to look back on this time in my life fondly and be proud that I made the steps to start my journey. My first ever combination of glass and silver is the result of a quick fusing lesson and a wire wrapping YouTube demo…
Fused glass pendants wrapped in sterling silver wire, March 2016View in the light
Graduating with a photography degree from Glasgow School of Art, Miller has become a successful working artist in his own right, creating installations for public spaces, galleries and homes. Like out other speaker this week, Miller also works a lot with found objects and explained how he often thinks in regards to his artwork in terms of entertainers Morecambe and Wise, “One without the other is not going to work”. This way of explaining his thought processes immediately made me feel at ease as he made light of important decision making to suit his plans.
Once finishing his education, Miller went on to work in a disused space with two other artists to show their work and get their styles recognised. This is where he discovered his enjoyment of public interaction whilst they responded to the architecture of the place. He began to take photographs of the reactions of people to everyday scenarios to release this interest. His consideration for the experiences of others seems a lot deeper than he may have let on.
Miller created an installation featuring a basketball which he bounced off the wall until physical evidence of the activity occurred, linking to childhood experiences of playing outside in the same place until damage is apparent. Much of this earlier work seems to have a much more personal concept, highlighting the vulnerability of people as a result of their surroundings.
When considering interactive artwork, Miller also developed a space for people to use. ‘Breakfast Bar’ was intended for people to come and eat together and respond accordingly as they dined within the artwork that he had built.
It is after this that we see Miller’s work becoming more constructive and being made for a purpose as opposed to a concept or idea. Using his skills in woodworking, Miller built a piece of furniture for a group exhibition that held all the papers of the other artists in the gallery, but stood alone as an individual piece.
He explained how part of his learning was about looking at the architecture and on a trip to the Caribbean for a group restoration project he was sure to consider the buildings and structures around the area. The run down hut-like buildings which were run down and unsustainable were in high contrast with newly built petrol stations adorned with bright lights and manmade materials. Miller was keen to bring this contrast of ideas together and to replicate the light of the surrounding buildings.
Mirrored Pavilion II, 2007
Miller discussed his graduation from art school and how after he was free to begin his career, he found that he was very unsure of what he really wanted to do. He explained how it was very beneficial to him to assist other artists in terms of networking as well as gaining experience with professionals to see the process of sale, exhibition and making. Miller was also part of many installation crews, which helped him to develop his skills for the work he now builds and displays. When creating his own work, he was sure to point out the importance of model making on smaller scales or with cheaper materials to allow the client or gallery to get a sense of his ambitions for the piece. Miller explained how working with models helps him to show the viewer how the space will be realised and to realise the scales for himself.
When winning a commission for MIMA it became evident to Miller that it isn’t always the most important aspect of the work to fill up the space, but to consider how his piece will be used, as they are so often interactive. He is able to breathe life into a space by incorporating new and exciting structures within it.
As well as all of his work with structures, Miller still makes time for photography where he captures found objects in the street and resituates them in gallery settings. Discarded items which may have been previously ignored get a sense of importance and given a purpose when displayed with significance in an exhibition.
Lost, 2014 (found object)
His love of working with found objects became more interesting to me when Miller began explaining his lighting commission works. As a maker and love of the crafts, I am only too familiar with rummaging through charity shops for interesting materials. Collecting old lampshades from second-hand shops and fixing them together in a column seems like such a simple idea, yet Miller’s results are breathtaking. Illuminated from within and standing at over 8 metres, such a simple object becomes a masterpiece. Each of his lampshade structures are given double-barrelled lady’s names and are often sold to clients.
Miller stated that is work is not about him and is about what other people have made and how he loves to explore both machine and handmade marks on objects. It appears important to bring people into the gallery setting for Miller. In 2012, he wanted to bring the public celebration of the Royal street parties into the gallery and explained how in reality it wasn’t really a celebration of anything and more of an excuse to come together. Using his skills from his time as part of an installation crew, Miller set up a gallery space with rows upon rows of bunting hanging from the ceiling to bring the atmosphere into the expectedly calm setting.
You, Me, Something Else, 2012
Miller often works with other artists and friends and likes to develop work based on community interaction, documenting conversations between people. Through these relationships he has been able to gain commissions and meet people raise his profile. He explained how he takes photographs constantly and has a deep interest in what he sees around him, particularly cases of human intervention.
Miller described himself as the messenger and not the maker and was happy to admit that outside of his experience with woodwork, he does seek help with others materials. By creating functional work, Miller is able to provide a platform for others to make use of the piece and yet many of his images features objects that are failing to carry out their designated functions.
Beginning with a short video piece showing a repetitive screen in a spiral formation of a drummer, each slightly ahead of the last, Dolphin explained how his work is almost always based on iconography and sequences. ‘Drum Circles’ is a piece from 2008 which he stated relates to much of his more current works. Dolphin is an artist whom I have idolised since my school years and the prospect of hearing his inspirations had me almost star-struck.
When studying painting in Bath in the nineties, Dolphin explained how during this time he only actually completed two painted images. This is where he realised the readymade project, taking fashion magazine covers and manipulating the image with a repeated act, which were then sealed and presented like a painting would be. Dolphin believed that the function of the covers shifted from desirable giving them a new meaning and would result in a new interpretation. Through this series Dolphin became more successful after exhibiting them in group shows and this is where his love of working with a series of images was first seen.
Much of my own artwork is completed in a sequence or a series of objects and on this level I felt I could relate to Dolphin as I also love to experiment with a process over and over to present different skills.
As well as his repetitive art, Dolphin also works with singular found objects and uses a repetitive process, instead of the same medium. He discussed how passionate he is about music and explained that growing up in a lonely area resulted in him seeking culture through music as an escape. Dolphin stated that music was his way out, to a different world. This is also something that I can empathise with. During my teenage years, we moved to a small hamlet of thirty houses (although not too far from anywhere really) but too far for a young girl to be walking on her own. There was no public transport to our street andvery few street lights, so I often felt trapped and sought escape through my parents’ CD and vinyl collection. Much like Dolphin, my musical influences inspire a lot of my work.
Taking the covers and vinyl of popular bands, Dolphin scratched in the lyrics of the songs onto the objects. He explained how there was no aesthetic decision when doing this, he was just simply carrying out a task. Scratching out plastic or card with the words of the musicians created a texture of lyrics and the small scale lost the words in the patterns.
70 Beach Boys Songs, 2006
Using the idea of the readymade but throwing away the physical object, Dolphin began to work with the concept of the found object. Still focusing on his musical influences, Dolphin considered the notes left behind following the suicides of his idols. Thinking of letters, messages and diary entries of the innermost feelings of these dead pioneers, he endeavoured the recreate them from his imagination and the information he could find. Scouring the inquests of these deaths as well as biographies and media coverage, Dolphin paired this knowledge with his own ideas of the final words of the artists and developed a series of suicide notes to appear like the real thing. This process highlighted the value of the notes as well as the value to those they affected.
Note, 2009 (Graphite on paper)
Dolphin went on to talk about the death of iconic people and how there is a public outcry according to popularity and influence. Using this idea he wanted to recreate places where fans leave tributes to their heroes to explore the fact that regardless of not actually knowing the person, they have indirectly left an impression upon people. Visiting these sites and studying photographs, Dolphin was able to replicate the tribute sites to present them in a gallery setting. He explained how every aspect of the object is faked and it is simply a method to copy the area. From a graffiti covered bench near Kurt Cobain’s home, to the tree stump that Marc Bolan’s car crashed into, Dolphin aims to represent the emotion imparted by the fans into the wood by giving the closest representation that he can. Dolphin is able to capture that moment in time, as the objects change. His copy of Freddie Mercury’s door is now the only version, as the original has been covered over.
Using anymedium that is appropriate, Dolphin forges the object for accuracy in appearance to trick the viewer into believing it is real.
Again I am able to directly connect toDolphin’s work, as I have created art based on the tragic deaths of icons. Combining my love of contemporary jewellery and blown glass, I developed a series of oversized pendants for famous Hollywood starlets who died in the sixties. Much like Dolphin, my work was intended to glamorise a tragedy surrounding idolised figures.
Moving away from sculpture and objects, Dolphin developed a series of drawings in graphite, imagining the final views of the dead musicians. He explained how a lot of research went into this work, to find out the places and positions the people were found in and what they were possibly seeing at the time of their deaths. This work although morbid is also somehow quite beautiful and mystical.
Dolphin has gained status through his replica door series, which again are copies of doors to studios and homes of dead musicians, recreated from the real thing but without function. He described how his work becomes more like art as he must make decisions during the processes.
More recently he has been working on films which often come from single sources and are repeated and layered, much like his installations. Dolphin’s films are often on more than one screen, some with the same footage but each a second ahead whereas others are the same footage but from different angles. Another piece features a screen filming a musician, alongside the other showing the reactions of the audience.
Currently Dolphin is working of the translation of digital music files. He intends to visualise what the music may look like, through coding and numbers. Decoding the audio on an MP3 file to a pattern of numbers, Dolphin plans to build a series of circles, each withvarying diameters to represent different notes. Each song is from a different genre of music, but thanks to the system they can not be differentiated. Working with the University of Sunderland, Dolphin hoped to develop this piece is waterjet cut glass, but the scale is unmanageable and so is working with skilled professionals to overcome this problem. Dolphin believes he doesn’t possess skills and stated that he is just doing what he always has done.
When listening to the influences of Dolphin, I can see my own motives. He explained how these icons are worshipped the same way as religious figures and this is something I know only too well. From a young age music has been an outlet for me too. Another of my works featured blown glass hot air balloons, pinpointed with locations of significance to individuals. Running alongside this installation was a playlist of songs that remind people of their specific places, highlighting how music is a trigger for memory and emotion.
Like dolphin, I believe that music based art is not about the person idolised but the people who visit and admire.
Expressing the importance of drawing in his life, Angus began by explaining how he puts colour onto pages in sketchbook and then the pages are finished with a sketch. He believes that you should draw for yourself as he does, to stay alive and to make progress. Angus attends life drawing classes as much as he can, where he colours his papers and then works spontaneously with no interest in anatomical correctness. He stated that he does at least 365 drawings a year, but not one a day.
Explaining his career working on commissions, Angus started with his love of design for church windows. He thrives on the human form and enjoys creating angels, but in a more abstract style, straying from traditional expectation. When working with a client, Angus is sure to encourage them to list their ideas while he works to include his own preferences for design, budget and space for the piece. He suggests that you cannot expect the client, who is not an artist to know what is best for the space, so he aims to provide a service for the space that does not polish his or the client’s ego.
Living in Germany, Angus was close to a factory producing flashed glass. Using this material he explored his love of acid etching. He described the technique as his principal means of expression through the ability to produce vast quantities on large scales. Through this process of removing colour, Angus etches his design into the glass, paints it black and adds colour. As the glass is expensive, he is sure to only fire it once to protect it.
Describing himself as a two dimensional artist, Angus refers to his love of the simplicity of drawing and the detail created in stained glass. He believes that glass needs to remain “glassy”.
When exhibiting his work in rooms with poor or no light, Angus uses lamps placed behind the glass to show the quality of colour. At first his hanging gallery glass did not sell well, but he explained how over the last few years they have proved to be more in demand. The theme of wrestling between heaven and earth featured in the glass was intended to question the relationship between anger and love. Angus explained how he sees wrestling in an embrace, which highlights the proximity between two people, questioning whether you are seeing love or hate. A Hospice in Germany bought ten of Angus’ paintings and four of his lamp lit glass pieces which gave the piece this new meaning.
Wrestling with Angels, 2013
Perhaps one of Angus’ greatest achievements and most well-known piece is his window for Durham Cathedral, ‘Daily Bread’. Based on the bible’s last supper story, Angus explained how the viewer needs imagination and context to understand what they are seeing. After this commission he was presented with a lot more work within churches. Angus described his passion for working in the church community as the viewer of his work is seeking meaning, spirituality and narrative. He enjoys the process of working with the community and the priest and thrives from the dialogue and the development of the art. Angus creates full-size drawings before he makes his windows, to get a sense of scale and content. The attention paid to every detail is to ensure a quality outcome, since he is responsible for long lasting art that people are going to worship alongside. He believes that every piece of art must have charm and character and especially beauty.
Daily Bread, Durham Cathedral, 1983
Angus went on to discuss a specific commission he worked on at a public school in Sheffield. He explained how the school was very costly to attend and practiced control. The commission was for the windows in the school’s chapel where he was introduced to the students in a regimented briefing. His work was designed to express order and was a bit of a jab at their system. Again, Angus wanted to be sure we knew that every piece of work had to be beautiful.
When working on a larger scale, Angus has been subject to intervention from health and safety companies to ensure his work complies with standards. He explained how he knows little of the conditions and in order to make his work structurally safe, the budgets for work increase when acquiring the assistance of professionals.
When painting on glass, Angus intends to express himself through the colours and lines. He described float glass as an ugly medium and suggests that sandblasting the surface or acid etching removes the tinny appearance and makes the glass generally more attractive. When including silver stain, Angus believes that the once ugly float glass becomes a beautiful yellow surface. He expressed his love of the freedom that comes with painting upon glass.
Since moving away from England, Angus stated that he felt a sense of loneliness in his new home. When surrounded by people whom do not speak English, he said it becomes easy to feel isolated. Through his work at Bild-Werk in Frauenau, Angus is able to reconnect to his students and peers through teaching painting to other English speakers. He suggested that depression can be fabulous for being creative and he believes that his single figure images are a result of this loneliness.
Angus went on to highlight the importance of exhibiting work in galleries to make contact with potential buyers and future clients. Using mirrors, gold leaf and lighting in a gallery space can hide walls behind his sheet glass work and show the potential for the pieces. Angus has also bought and painted blown forms, costing him very little money. He is then able to sell these on for a decent profit to buy more expensive materials. He explained how he likes to show himself in his exhibitions, leaving his development work out to be viewed to show the audience his process and themes. As well as including his sheet glass work, blown forms and development work Angus often incorporates his sculptural glass. He was eager to point out that even his figure sculptures are 2D, but are cut out to present a human form and stood upright in the space.
The Graz, Glass Studio, 2012
When discussing his most recent work, Angus expressed a sense of excitement. Heavily influenced by painter Goya, Angus hopes to use his themes to recreate his own take on the style of work. He is in the process of creating eighty deep wooden boxes that shall be back lit and presented in a darkened room. When all of the images are completed, Angus plans to create a book presenting each individual painting, featuring misleading titles and commentaries to mirror the style of Goya. He intends to use titles to inform as well as mislead, to highlight issues with society and culture. When showing the completed images, Angus found them hilarious when reflecting on their origins and meanings and it was endearing to see an artist so into their current project after such a lengthy career. He explained how he also investigates himself in the work and how some of the drawings reflect his inner self following a mental breakdown. Angus suggests these images where created through the therapy he seeks from drawing and how you are the most honest in your art when you are depressed. He believes that after a life changing event such as a breakdown you find new ways to express yourself and how his art helps him to heal.
Although the style of Angus’ work is something I would not usually be drawn to, I can relate to his philosophy of creating for beauty and seeking an emotional release. His passion and enthusiasm for his practice is truly outstanding.
Considering our speakers have previously worked together, they were able to bounce off each other and generally create a much more relaxed atmosphere. As Kevin is our own team leader at the National Glass Centre, it did seem as though we were sitting down for an informal briefing. Petrie began by discussing his relationship to fellow speaker, Mark Angus and explained their connections in Germany working together to teach drawing and painting at Bild-Werk in Frauenau. In regards to travel and teaching, Petrie expressed how privileged he felt to see amazing places and work with amazing people and how networking is key to achieve this lifestyle.
Born in Nottinghamshire and gaining his Foundation qualification in Mansfield, Petrie described how he felt that art school was the making of him, where he found something he could be passionate about. With the aid of grant, he began lodging with an elderly lady who gave up her spare room to students, in the hope of company. Petrie would draw the woman in her home and said this is where he started to always draw his surroundings. After initially being torn between fine art and illustration during his foundation course, Petrie decided to further his study of illustration and was accepted to the University of Westminster – which hosted the only illustration course in the country at this time.
During the second year of his undergraduate degree, Petrie discovered printing upon ceramic as part of a decorative design project. Bulk buying bone china and working with a transfer printing method (which he basically taught himself to do), Petrie was able to develop a collection of ceramic objects, featuring his illustrations. His intentions with the work was to create decorative pieces with a twist, where on closer inspection more controversial imagery could be found in the patterns.
Moving on to study a Masters qualification in Glass and Ceramics at the Royal College of Art, Petrie explored his interest in ceramics through hand building. Here he was able to study his material more and began testing glazes and continuing on from his previous works with the material as the focus. Developing his work from his Honours degree, Petrie experimented with hand building heads and incorporated printmaking to the ceramic, through etching. As well as using clay, he wanted to make the most of the facilities around him and saw an opportunity to create moulds for glassblowing to form head shapes. Petrie’s awareness of the time needed to perfect this technique encouraged him to take his skills to a more manageable area of glass art in order to perfect his design in the timescale of his course. This led to the combination of prints he had created for ceramics, with kiln formed glass.
Cell of Himself, (Kiln formed glass with printed inclusions, blown glass)
Following on from this, Petrie embarked on his PHD at the University of West of England, where he was the first PHD graduate in art. Appointed with an Applied Science student, the pair explored the areas surrounding water based ceramic transfer printing to formulate new techniques through systematic and new research. Although this period was heavily research based, Petrie was sure to express how his love of drawing always played a part in his work. He suggested that drawing captures your experience of looking at something and how he enjoys commemorating that on ceramic. Through their testing methods, Petrie developed a series of mugs to see if the techniques would be effective in mass production and was more than willing to point out the problems and limitations of their developed method.
Through funding applications, Petrie expected to stay in Bristol as a researcher meaning he was close to home. While he was waiting for clearance of roles and funds, Petrie got a part time job at the University of Sunderland on a six month contract which he intended to complete before returning to Bristol. However this contract was broadened and extended, resulting in sixteen years of employment with the University of Sunderland. Unlike many of the artists we have met, Kevin discussed how it was important to him to have a stable job, where he was sure of his role and expectations. Initially working with students, teaching ceramic tutorials, research projects and a third year material technology class, Petrie was sure to continue his own work alongside his responsibilities. This is where he developed a technique in etching moulds to create drawings in glass.
During this time, Petrie was asked to write a glass handbook, which he describes as one of the best things he ever did. ‘Glass and Print’ resulted in commissions and invitations to work with other students and artists. He was also invited to talk at a conference for the Glass Art Society in Australia. Again Petrie pointed out that he continued to draw his surroundings in his sketchbook everywhere he went.
Working with students in the landscape meant that Petrie could continue to draw alongside his class whilst teaching them skills in drawing and ceramics. His persistence of keeping up his art led to commissions in painting and drawing for public spaces.
Using the mould making technique, Petrie discovered how etching into the dried plaster created a hand drawn quality to the glass. He was able to take his moulds outside and etch his drawing of the landscape into the plaster, resulting in a drawing to be turned into glass. In an exhibition for Bede’s World, Petrie drew areas from the region in his moulds and filled the outlines with powdered black glass to create a hand drawn lineage. The rest of the mould was filled with coloured glass to create a drawing in the glass that had the qualities of a print. This meant Petrie was able to capture a moment in a permanent material. On the works you can see words jotted around the edges, recording the noises he was experiencing in the place.
St Paul’s Church, Jarrow (Kiln formed glass drawing, 2008)
For the last nine years Petrie has been the programme leader of the MA course at Sunderland and has taught a lot of PHD students. Five years ago he was given the role as team leader for the Glass and Ceramics department. His influence within the course stretches across all levels.
Petrie was keen to discuss how his work and connections has resulted in travel. From giving conference talks in Hong Kong to workshops in Montreal and Denmark, he was eager to express the importance of making yourself known in your chosen field to open up opportunities. Through the interest of Chinese students to the Masters course, Petrie has been able to travel to China to teach classes at the Tsinghua University.
The interest of his methods across the world opened up the chance to write another book, ‘Ceramic Transfer Printing’. Again he was able to highlight the importance of networking, as he was asked to write this book by a fellow student from the past. As well as this book, Petrie is working on another with Ceramicist Andrew Livingstone. Through this book they intend to bring together writing from different authors as a resource for theory lectures and as a form of research to pass on to students.
Kevin Petrie appears to be a very academically driven artist, who is keen to ensure he has job security in order to stabilise his role to assist himself in continuing to create artwork. Not only did many of the Glass Centre students attend his presentation, I noticed some of the staff appeared to listen to his progression from student to academic.
Completing my four session silversmithing class filled me with achievement. In four short lessons I was able to say I could successfully make silver jewellery without any assistance. The final class of the course was dotted with new starters, resulting in the “more experienced” members using their own skills to practice techniques with the equipment. Initially this caused great anticipation and panic, as I would not have my mentor looking over my shoulder during the five hour session to prevent me from making mistakes, however two of the silversmithing veterans were able to keep me right with any queries.
Practicing my newly learned techniques was so fulfilling and to have developed a new skill in such a short space of time was everything I hoped to get from the course. Using tools and processes I have attempted and witnessed, I was able to create an open ring and layer it was loose layering detail in silver.
Silver Ring, March 2016
As a student with a part time job, it is safe to say I am far away from setting up my own business in glass and silver craft. The cost of the materials alone is out of my reach never mind the amount of tools required to create these pieces. For now I have signed myself back onto another set of four sessions to develop my new skills and processes starting in late April.
The dream of combining my two loves (glass and silver) may finally be becoming a reality through sheer determination and passion for the materials. Watch this space…..
Development of Silversmithing over four sessions, January – March 2016
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