Originally a farmer from Cookstown I decided to put my other talents to use. I went to university in England and gained a degree in sculpture and a masters in art & Design. It was during this time I came across glass as a medium and I have never looked back since. Gaining experience through numerous exhibitions, I left an impression at the prolific International Festival of Glass in Stourbridge in 2006. My work baffled even some of the leading artist who use glass as a medium.
My general aim with my work has been to show conflict, I have used materials such as steel, glass and plaster which are generally seen as incompatible in my methods of use. But it is the raw harshness of the steel and the smothering effect of the fluid glass as it envelopes the glass that I believe is what entices the viewer to come ever closer and examine the glass. There is always something new to see with the colours added to the glass or the reflection of the light upon the glass as you move around it. I may use other materials other than steel with the glass but it is the glass which remains the main binding factor. Most of my ideas come about through experimentation and trail and error. I find this to be the most productive and enjoyable method of working. This is where planning can come to a sudden stop which is why I have a rough and ready approach, which is the best way for me to come up with new ideas and its where my best work has begun and evolved from. If I wasn’t sure, there was only one way to find out, I would just do it!
