I make kiln formed glass objects, playing with gravity in the kiln. Manipulating mass, heat, colour and time I aim to create complex, elusive work that has intense colour and pattern which reacts to the light it is placed in. I use opaque glass powders to construct my work because of its varying translucency as the form elongates in the kiln. I finish the kiln fired pieces using many cold working processes to shape and mark the glass including sandblasting, hand lapping and diamond point and wheel engraving.
My most recent work has come from two intense weeks on residency at Lyth Arts Centre in Caithness. On the first week, I worked with the Environmental Research Institute based in Thurso investigating the impact of sustainable energy on sea life and the peat restoration programmes in The Flow Country of Caithness and Sutherland.
I’ve worked with glass for the past 16 years, graduating from Central St Martin’s School of Art & Design in London with Distinction studying Postgraduate Certificate in Glass & Architecture, before relocating to Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland in 2005. I have exhibited at Collect (Crafts Council) shown by Craft Scotland and Contemporary Applied Arts (CAA), with London Glassblowing, Bullseye Projects in Portland, Bellevue Arts Museum in Washington, SOFA Chicago and Pittsburgh Glass Centre.
Amanda Simmons
Corsock, Dumfries and Galloway
Open Project Funding from Creative Scotland I was supported by Creative Scotland to create larger scale works, the grant enabled me to buy a larger size flatbed diamond grinder and gave me time in the studio to create a large body of work for my first solo show at The Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh.
Gallery at London Glassblowing
USA
Bullseye Projects, Portland, OR
Morgan Contemporary Glass Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
Work in Public Collections
The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, England
National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland
Perth Museum and Art Gallery, Perth, Scotland
Ernsting Stiftung Glass Museum, Germany
Exhibitions 2018
Spring Fling Open Studios - Dumfries and Galloway Studio 40
Material Light: Glass, Messums Wiltshire,2 December - 4 February 2018
Collect, Crafts Council showing with Craft Scotland and Emergents
North Lands Creative, Caithness, Show June -September
Exhibitions 2017
Material Language, Bullseye Projects, Bullseye Resource Center
Outer Spaces, The Scottish Gallery, Solo Show July 5- 29 PV 4 July 6.30pm
British Studio Glass at Designs Gallery
Present & Collect, CAA, Nov-23 Dec
An Eclectic Christmas, London Glassblowing, Southwark
Material Light: Glass, Messums Wiltshire,2 December - 4 February 2018
Below The Surface - Amanda Simmons from R&A Collaborations on Vimeo.
This year I will be represented by Craft Scotland, supported by Emergents in, Scotland: Craft & Design at Collect 2018, Saatchi Gallery, London. I'm one of 17 makers that are being taken...
I am exhibiting work in three festive exhibitions this year in wonderful galleries alongside galleries that have a stock of my work (see below). Present & Collect, CAA, Nov-23 Dec Always an...
