2025 CGS Amanda Moriarty prize winner announced

This year’s winner of the Contemporary Glass Society’s (CGS) Amanda Moriarty prize is Kerry Collison, a stained glass artist and traditional glass painter who is currently interning at The Glass Hub. Kerry has recently started lampworking and wants to use the five-day residency with Laura Quinn to develop lampworked elements, including sculpted limbs and other appendages, that can be incorporated into stained glass panels.

Kerry stated, “I began my art practice with a BA in Sculpture from Carmarthen School of Art, where I specialised in hot metal casting and foundry work. I later earned an MA in Fine Art from Swansea College of Art (2023), focusing on stained glass. During my time in Swansea, I apprenticed with the Architectural Glass Centre and later worked a temporary contract with The Cathedral Studios in Canterbury on both commercial and heritage glazing projects.

“Currently, alongside interning, I am focusing on developing my creative practice and teaching stained glass. My practice blends traditional stained glass techniques with contemporary conceptual fine art. I create intricate, small-scale panels that incorporate humour, mischief, and subverted religious iconography to explore complex themes surrounding sex, gender, pleasure, and violence. Through sacred geometry and hidden symbolism, I aim to invite viewers into intimate visual dialogues that challenge conventional boundaries.

“Fire has always been central to my practice and finding my way back to using hot processes in making is important to me. After focusing on stained glass, I have felt disconnected from the heat and sculpture in my work. Since joining The Glass Hub, I’ve become increasingly fascinated by the intersections between warm, hot, and cold glass techniques. I see enormous potential in combining these often separate disciplines and this feels like an organic avenue to reconnect with fire.

“Though I am relatively new to lampworking, I feel this cross-disciplinary approach has the potential to push the boundaries of lampworking and stained glass in a contemporary way, whilst celebrating the ancient glass-making techniques.”

Commenting on her selection of winner, Laura Quinn, said, “Kerry’s work stood out to me immediately, with its strong illustrative approach and humorous, and sometimes dark content that forces you to look closer. I thought, this is an artist who really owns their own style. Their proposal for the project was successful because of its clarity, Kerry knew what they wanted to achieve, and I knew I could help them do it! Their proposal to include three dimensional limbs, coming out from stained glass panels really excited me, I have never seen the two processes combining in such a way. I am very excited to facilitate Kerry’s residency, and support them in the creation of this new and ambitious project. Congratulations Kerry!”

The Amanda Moriarty Prize was set up in 2017 to commemorate Amanda Moriarty, a long-serving Board member and Honorary Treasurer of the CGS, who passed away. To celebrate her enthusiasm and encouragement of glassmaking, CGS offers this annual prize in her memory, which features several days of practical experience with a glass mentor and a contribution towards accommodation and travel during the residency. In this case, Laura Quinn will host five days of practical training at her home studio in Reading. CGS thanks Laura for providing this fabulous opportunity.

Main image:  Kerry Collison practising lampworking.