Artist

Artist’s Statement

Drawing is at the heart of my work. I use it to describe the world I see and imagine. Stained glass is the medium I choose to express myself in. The glorious colours and light of stained glass fill me with delight. I can achieve intricate detail with painting and engraving techniques that involve the use of a kiln. My work takes time, patience and the highest quality materials to produce.

Since winning the Surrey Artist of the Year award in 2014 my focus has shifted to exploring stories that I want to share. My Seven Ages of Man series is the story of my father’s life interwoven with Shakespeare’s words and the yearly cycle of a grape vine. The panels have been exhibited at Strawberry Hill House, the birthplace of the Gothic Revival, and at the Stained Glass Museum in Ely Cathedral. During Lockdown I made a series of panels inspired by the nursery rhyme ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor’.

The changing seasons are a recurring theme. My depiction of the Labours of the Months, now in Godalming Museum, is a contemporary take on a medieval subject. The panels were purchased with a grant from the V&A.

I am rooted in the rich historical tradition of stained glass. It is challenging, fascinating and exciting to work with the same techniques and materials that have been used for nearly a thousand years.

I originally studied Fine Art at Coventry, and specialised in printmaking, particularly etchings and later, linocuts. Having graduated in 1987 I set up as a printmaker, but when I discovered stained glass in an evening class a couple of years later I was instantly enthralled.

By the age of 30, I had a Post Graduate diploma in stained glass from Central St Martins, and an M.A. in Public Art from Chelsea School of Art. I set up my first stained glass studio with help from the Princes Youth Business Trust in 1995. Almost immediately I was given a commission for a school in Sunderland, and I have worked to commission ever since.

My studies continue as I learn from other artists and I regularly attend lectures and conferences where I sketch windows at every opportunity.  I was inspired by the work of Alf Fisher and I have spent time with him writing and illustrating his life story. In 2024 I won the first Glass Painters and Glaziers award for a panel inspired by Alf that was exhibited at the British Glass Biennale.

An important part of my work is sharing my skills with students of all ages and abilities in my garden studio. It is rewarding and fun to see what can be achieved in a day using the finest quality mouth blown glass and the techniques I have honed to get the best results from my students. This is especially important now that stained glass has been listed as endangered by Heritage Crafts.

I am a Fellow of the British Society of Master Glass Painters and serve on their Council as Co-Chair. I coordinate their website (designed by Windmill Creative who built this website) and it is packed with pictures and information about stained glass: www.bsmgp.org.uk

In addition I am an Artist Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Glaziers and serve as a Trustee of their charity: http://glazierscompany.org.uk

With so many distractions it can be challenging to find time to pursue my own artistic endeavours. Spending time in the studio, on my own, surrounded by raw materials and possibilities remains the core of my creativity.

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