Brisbane is one of the UKʼs most exceptional glass artists specialising in techniques using sandcasting. Her creations are in a dazzling list of permanent public and private collections, most notably the Corning Museum of Glass, New York, the Elbeltoft Museum, Denmark and impressively the British Ambassador to Spainʼs private collection. With an equally breathtaking list of commissions too, it is perhaps her colossal ʻMegareus ̓ sculpture measuring a staggering 4.5 metres for The Address Hotel, Downtown Burj Dubai which demonstrates Brisbaneʼs unique talent for scale and drama.

Amanda Brisbane Lotus

On her first introduction to clay, Hughes was hooked and new it would be a lifelong passion. She is an established ceramic artist and an illustrator in equal measure, often combining both in her ceramic pieces. Specialising in hand building techniques, Hughes enjoys working with form, texture and surface decoration. Her work is exhibited worldwide, has been published in numerous books and is represented in several of the UK’s major craft galleries. Hughes also shares her time as an educator at university level and runs workshops at the V&A and other institutions. This is Hughes’ first mixed media piece combining ceramics with glass.

Amy Hughes Flora

Originating from the USA and Switzerland Baldwin & Guggisberg have now settled their studio in Wales. Their signature style fuses Scandinavian and Venetian glassmaking techniques, skillfully balancing form, colour, texture and pattern. The list of museums and collections which have acquired their works is impressive with over 40 representations. Solo exhibitions, as well as group shows, have given them opportunities to present their works in leading galleries and major museums in Europe, Japan and the United States. Their artworks rank among the best to be found in the international glass art scene.

Baldwin & Guggisberg Architectural Planning

Nairn has over two decades experience making glass, first internationally in Switzerland, Germany and the US working for some of the worlds leading glass designer makers. Now based in Scotland creating energetic, exuberant and vital sculptural forms in hot glass. His works are shown in both museums and galleries throughout the UK and abroad and are held in both private and public commissions. Nairn also runs GLASSSTORM, a studio and gallery with partner Nichola Burns based in Tain in the Highlands of Scotland. The studio creates both unique artworks, alongside designing and manufacturing bespoke glass for the luxury drinks industry and film industry.

Brodi Nairn Silver Linings

Shilling began her arts career as a graphic designer but went on to study glass after moving to Connecticut with her family. On returning to the UK she studied kiln formed glass and set up studio in London from where she has gone on to create a huge body and variety of work winning her many awards and exhibited worldwide. Shilling experiments with colour and technique to produce beautiful one off sculptures. Her innovative pieces push the glass beyond our usual comfort zones. Glass rods are woven together like fabric, mimicking the flexibility and movement of cloth. The apparent frailty of the glass is balanced by the strong dynamic forms, differing levels of light picking out layers of colour.

Cathryn Schilling Wowen Chalice

With abundant talent for glass blowing but also cold working and cutting, Enemark has shown her work globally and is represented in the prestigious Ebeltoft Glass Museum permanent collection. In 2012 she was awarded Elle Decorationʼs New Designer Award and was also nominated for Homes & Gardens ̓Designer award the same year. As one of the current wave of new glass stars based in London there seems no stopping Enemarks brilliance, in 2013 she was nominated for the prestigious Perrier-Jouët Arts Salon prize. Hanne Enemark would like to acknowledge that the butterfly design and concept used in her piece is by Lynne

Hanne Enemark Imago

Gillespie’s mastery of copper wheel engraving is a direct result of her commitment to the this archaic process. Focusing on a technique no longer taught in the UK, Gillespie had to relocate to the Czech Republic for a year. Gillespie now divides her time between her own practice and teaching, passing on her finely tuned skills, ultimately reviving this form of craftsmanship. Her determination has been rewarded with various grants and awards from the Crafts and Art Councils here in the UK. Now established as one of the UK’s foremost engravers, it was in 2012 her achievements were recognised being awarded the ‘Overall winner of the Balvenie Master of Crafts’.

Heather Gillespie Frosti

Lured by the transparency and liquid nature of molten glass, Lethbridge left a career in ceramics having discovered a preference for this exciting and very different medium. Lethbridge draws his inspiration from botanical sources, he uses the fluid organic aesthetic of hot glass to construct objects which question traditional relationships between sculpture and lighting. Lethbridge has received various awards and accolades, including the Cockpit Art Award. He primarily works on commissions for international private clients and bespoke lighting designs for high-end luxury interiors, with his innovative techniques and specialist knowledge of glass, he is also building a distinct international reputation and following.

James Lethbridge Midas Jar

Kacper Hamilton & Ezgi Turksoy run an internationally acclaimed design practice based in London. Having developed a unique style, which draws it̓ s inspiration from narratives, tradition and rituals, their work often expresses modernity through bringing elements of the past into a contemporary context. The studio has worked with prestigious brands such as Pernod Ricard, Zai and Baccarat Crystal, but also edits it̓ s own limited editions ‘art-meets-design’ collectors pieces using some of the best craftsmen available.

Kacper Hamilton Minarets

Holford is an established sculptor and award winning international designer who specialises in working creatively with craft production. Her present role as Creative Director for Cumbria Crystal - the only remaining manufacturer of hand made lead English crystal - sits juxtaposed with her own studio practice, both demanding highly differing skills and production knowledge. From a design perspective she has worked with companies such as Wedgwood, Atlantis Crystal & Perrier Jouet Champagne. By contrast her bespoke pieces of sculpture grace the rooms of The Savoy, Claridges and numerous Royal Palaces and residences worldwide.

Katy Holford Courtesy of Cumbria Crystal

Bottles

Birdsall honed her glass making skills in various glass workshops in the UK and in Europe where she has also extensively exhibited, with exhibitions in the USA also to her credit. Originally from Stourbridge, Birdsall has maintained her passion to work with the blown form and the transparent and translucent properties of glass which were the hallmark of the great Victorian period of Stourbridgeʼs glassmaking. Birdsall̓ s work has also received numerous awards including the Best Newcomer for the illustrious Bombay Sapphire Prize which toured to New Zealand, France and Italy. Most recently she has completed glass commissions for various luxury cruise liners.

Laura Birdsall Ballroom Vase

Hart̓ s diverse creative career spans over thirty years, from theatre and film to architectural restoration of Heritage buildings. Using 3D modelling and visualisation software, Hart also designs commissioned art works for a surprising variety of creative fields. With ISO Design, Hart worked on such varying projects as props for Kylie Minogueʼs world tour to a sixty foot wingspan falcon for the Dubai World Cup racecourse. With an increasing presence of glass in her projects, Hart immersed herself in the medium and has remained hooked ever since. With her plentiful repertoire of making skills, Hart can turn her hand to any scale, from the architectural to the delicate veining of flowers.

Laura Hart Pansy Orchid

Reeves command of his highly precise glass blowing skills are not only self evident in his masterful control of this fiery medium, but also in the ability to share his expertise. Reeves is the hot-glass technician at the prestigious Royal College of Art. He has also conducted glass blowing demonstrations for various public events, universities and museums, most notably the V&A. Having received several awards it is perhaps his repeat success at the annual Art in Action event based in Oxfordshire where his talents have been most acknowledged. For two consecutive years Reeves has been awarded ʻThe Best of the Best̓ prize.

Liam Reeves Glass V Metal

With a professional career spanning over 25 years, Thompson is a highly accomplished glass artist. He has taught in the UK and abroad and has exhibited extensively in the UK, Europe, USA and Japan. Thompson has also produced a fascinating array of more unusual commissions for film and theatre as well as private collectors and various galleries such as the Notojima Glass art Museum, Nanao, Japan. In 2012 Thompson received two prestigious awards in the UK: British Glass Biennale Winner and the Jerwood Foundation Makers Commission. In 2013 he was also nominated for the eminent Perrier-Jouët Arts Salon prize.

Louis Thompson

Constellation

For most glass artists, not much is possible working in a solitary fashion and so many strong bonds are formed where artists find those they trust to work with. Built up over many years the resulting relationship becomes one that is highly intuitive, very understanding and full of respect for each other’s abilities. In most cases the roles are set: artist and assistant, swapping as required. With regards to Thompson and Enemark, they have for the first time moved away from assisting with each other’s sole creations - examples of which we have on show - and have produced a collaborative unique piece together, not only does it challenge the techniques used but their making relationship with one another.

Louis Thompson & Hanne Enemark Thebesian

Having spent two decades making glass in Switzerland, Holland and the USA working for some of the worldʼs leading glass designer makers, Burns is now based in Scotland. She creates energetic, exuberant and vital sculptural forms in hot glass. Her works are shown in museums and galleries throughout the UK and abroad as well as taking residence in both private and public collections. Burns also runs GLASSSTORM, a studio and gallery with partner Brodie Nairn based in Tain in the Highlands of Scotland. The studio creates both unique artworks, alongside designing and manufacturing bespoke glass for the luxury drinks industry and film industry.

Nicola Burns Tribal Conversation

Coates is one of Britain’s consistently original thinkers in architecture, interiors and product design. He has led a parallel career in teaching, architecture and design practice and artistically driven, internationally recognised work. He is also a prolific designer of lighting and furniture, collaborating with many Italian companies, including Alessi, AVMazzega, Fratelli Boffi, Poltronova and Slamp. Examples of his work are held in several museum collections including the V&A, Cooper Hewitt and FRAC. Having lead the Department of Architecture at the Royal College of Art from 1995-2011, he is now an RCA Professor Emeritus, and in 2012 received the Annie Spink Award for excellence in architectural education.

Nigel Coates Flame Vase

Studio Odd Matter (a partnership of Els Woldhek and Georgi Manassiev) is a design studio driven by material exploration and concept. By working with existing processes but focussing on unseen, unknown or unwanted elements the aim is to create a different kind of product, unique and specific to the place they originate from. Originally Dutch (Woldhek) and Bulgarian (Manassiev) but currently living and working in London having met whilst undertaking their MA studies in the Design Products department at The Royal College of Art. Their common interest in the borders of creation, process and material has put them on a shared path. One that seeks to create products more true and telling of their creation and ‘will’.

Odd Matter

Over Night Collection

Van der Holt̓ s sculptural flame worked glass has been exhibited in England, the USA and Japan. She has received many awards including ‘Best in Show’ by the Contemporary Glass Society for their ̒Glass Games ̓ exhibition organised to coincide with the 2012 Olympics. Based in the South West of England van der Holts work specialises in intricate yet varied detailed studies ranging from the human figure to themes of fauna and flora. Her work is shown in galleries around the country and produced for private commissions for international collectors, she also has ongoing teaching and lecturer positions.

Rowan van derHolt Dancers

For well over a decade Wiberley has not only assisted some of the UK’s top glass artists but has also carved a name for herself, establishing her pieces amongst some of the best contemporary work currently available. Having developed her own signature style which utilises an innovative application of surface decoration onto blown glass shapes, her ‘Cameo Series’ readdresses the use of ornament first seen in English 19th century cameo glass. Her imagery follows similar and traditional motifs but it is given a contemporary twist. Wiberley has exhibited in Europe and extensively throughout the UK. In 2011 she won the Royal Over Seas Music Trophy Award.

Sarah Wiberley Cameo Series

Moore has had to date a highly distinguished and varied career as a maker, designer, creative director and Royal College of Art lecturer which has spanned three decades. He was one of the only outsiders ever to take on the creative direction of a prestigious Venetian glass company when he led at Salviati, and closer to home with the same directorship at Dartington Crystal. Offering too a consultation role for such renowned companies as Bombay Sapphire and Nicole Farhi, Moore is a man of exceptional talents. His works are represented in collections globally including the prestigious V&A permanent collection.

Simon Moore Balustrade Collection

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