Biography / Stockists / Contact

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.

My available work can be found on the Collections page alongside background information on my practice including printmaking, flameworking and process images. Stockists across the UK and USA can be found below with work ranging from £45 to £3500. All one-off shows and teaching assignments are highlighted on the News and Exhibitions pages.