When did you get into glassmaking?
I bought my first kiln in 2011. I cleared out the garage, kicked the car out and in went the kiln. It was a trial and error process, and I gradually discovered my own techniques. I get totally obsessed by it, and work seven days a week. I’m a hundred percent immersed in glassmaking now.
How does your varied professional experience help you?
I studied 3D modelling and animation for about four years, and a lot of this went into my designing for concept artists. I now design my glass moulds using a 3D programme, because I can simulate glass flow, which gives me a higher success rate and saves an awful lot of time and money.
© Laura Hart
Why do you focus on orchids and butterflies?
I’ve always been a bit of an orchid fanatic. At one point I had 67 orchids in my conservatory! They are a remarkable genus of plants, the ultimate example of Darwin’s ‘adapt and survive’ theory of evolution. With the butterflies and moths, I create only unique sculptures and installations, emphasising their precarious fragility.
What do you love most about being a glassmaker?
I think there’s always something new to learn. Sometimes by making mistakes and experimenting you come across things that you never would have if you’d followed all the rules. I’m a great one for breaking as many rules as possible to see what happens!