Gavin retired as a doctor and swopped the focus and drama of the operating theatre for the alluring medium of warm glass. Themes in common include a passion for excellence, precision, science and tech and handling unpredictability.
New aspects include juggling myriad colours, light, inter-actions, intense heat and fragility.
Gavin got hooked on woven glass one freezing morning in February 2008, spotting a simple woven platter at the National Glass Centre shop, “I just had to master the technique!”
A few larger weave commissions are installed in UK and Greece, an out-of-studio workshop to create DIY weaves recently worked well. Smaller (mostly woven) items are in local galleries (Hexham and Consett).
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Recent Projects on my CGS profile include: Surf – Reminding me of my love of swimming in the sea. Fossilized – Inspired by my memories of digging for treasure. Galaxy – As technology advances so the images of galaxies are evermore captivating. In this glass I have captured the radiance of varying elements within a pinwheel galaxy. Generations – A triptych of gravity vessels, parent, child and grandparent (elevated on a clear glass stand), their genetics are represented by the patterns. I explored the concept of age through the process of kiln forming each vessel, waste glass was recycled from the creation of one vessel to each subsequent vessel. The changes to the molecular characteristics of the glass that this recycling process induces could be said to ‘age’ the glass. The ‘Grandparent’ is elevated on a stand to represent the veneration of elders.
Drawing from both artistic and spiritual influences, Carla’s work invites viewers to experience glass not just as a material, but as an energy field—one that connects, reflects, and uplifts. Her art has been exhibited in Just Glass Exhibitions at International Festival of Glass and Morley Gallery, London, Prior Gallery Bristol in the New Beginnings and Freedom Exhibitions hosted by Catherine Dunstan and is a founding member of the UK Glass Art Collective exhibting in various exhibitions across the UK, inspiring others to see glass as a conduit for transformation.
I am currently exploring traditional painting on glass methods, in order to grow in that direction. Recent projects have seen me depicting local country scenes and creating further stained glass windows in my own home, reflecting countryside scenes around me.
My regular classes keep me busy in the encouragement and gentle guidance of my fellow local stained glass artists and watching them grow in confidence and skill is enormously rewarding.
Kay’s work is abstract , bold and dynamic .. It is a sympathetic dialogue with the space in which the window is situated and for those interacting within that space . Kay’s windows in 3 Oxford hospitals – the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre , The Warneford hospital and Littlemore Hospital are striking examples of this … Kay’s vision is to explore and depict the experience and narrative of people living and working in these spaces .Kay depicts this symbolically using colour , shape and form.
It is the greatest privilege to share with others the dynamism , vitality and joy I have working with glass ..
I started working with glass in earnest in November of 2023. The nights were drawing in and I felt the need for a bit of glimmer. It also drew my attention away from the interiority of winter studio work – it was nice to have something to take in when looking out the window. The process of making these works appeals to my sense of assemblage and collage. Glass manages to be at once both solid and fragile and I like the idea of harnessing natural light into a work. Additionally as with anything fired in a kiln there is an element of chance often resulting in the ‘happy accident’ or maybe just a curious accident to take me out of my comfort zone
The material glass, with its diverse design possibilites, has inspired me for over 20 years.
Discovering the world of glass is a great adventure.
I work with glass in its various forms and fire it in my kiln to create bowls and objects.
Through varoius observations of nature, a lot of imagination and creativity, magical works are created.
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