Why I Fell in Love with Glass – My Journey to Becoming a Glass Artist

I have always been fascinated by glass, especially stained glass. There is something magical about the way it captures light and comes alive when sunlight shines through it. Unlike almost any other material, glass constantly changes throughout the day, revealing different colours, reflections and textures as the light moves around it.

My own journey to becoming a glass artist began almost by accident.

It started with a local mosaic class run by the wonderful artist Sarah Stanley. Not long afterwards I discovered fused glass through the course run by inspiring Monette Larsen. I still remember the mixture of excitement and absolute terror as I cut a sheet of glass for the very first time. When my first, very simple creation emerged from the kiln, I was completely hooked.

Then came Covid.

Like many people, I suddenly found myself with unexpected time on my hands. One evening, after one Baileys too many, I stumbled across a second-hand kiln on eBay and made a ridiculously low bid, only to find next morning that I became it’s owner. It was a rather impulsive purchase, but one that completely changed my life. I haven't looked back since.

After the lockdowns ended, I continued developing my skills, learning traditional stained glass techniques alongside kiln-formed and fused glass. Every new technique opened another door to creativity, and my passion for working with glass grew even stronger.

Today, every piece I create in my Hanwell studio still gives me goosebumps.

Whether I'm making contemporary fused glass artwork, a stained glass panel, jewellery or one of my botanical glass ornaments, the creative process brings me enormous joy. There is usually blood (quite literally), sweat and occasionally tears involved, but seeing the finished piece glowing with colour and light makes every cut finger worthwhile.

When I first opened my studio during the Borough of Ealing Art Trail, I had no idea what to expect. I was astonished when more than 200 people came through the door to see my work.

Even more surprising was that they wanted to take my creations home.

Artists rarely create simply to make money. We create for the way it makes us feel. But when someone chooses one of your handmade glass artworks to display in their home or gives one as a gift to someone they love, it is an incredibly validating experience. Knowing that something I made with my own hands will become part of another person's life is difficult to put into words.

So what makes glass so special? Why has it fascinated humanity for centuries?

Glass is full of contradictions. It is both incredibly strong and surprisingly fragile. It protects us while remaining delicate. It’s molecular structure of ‘solid liquid’ is intriguing. Above all, it transforms ordinary light into something extraordinary.

For centuries, stained glass has been used to tell stories, inspire awe and fill buildings with colour, even to depict Gods. Even today, contemporary glass art has the remarkable ability to evoke emotion simply by interacting with natural light.

Working with glass is also wonderfully addictive.

It is probably one of the most expensive creative hobbies imaginable. Kilns cost thousands of pounds to buy and run. High-quality art glass is incredibly expensive, with some of its richest colours created using precious metals such as gold. You constantly cut your fingers, spend hours wearing a respirator when working with glass powders, and patiently wait while each kiln firing slowly reveals whether your vision has succeeded or failed.

Yet ask almost any glass artist, and they will tell you exactly the same thing: they simply cannot stop.

For me, making glass has transformed my life.

It has allowed me to express myself creatively while preserving memories and moments that might otherwise fade away. During a recent trip to Iceland, I was so captivated by the dramatic landscapes that I found myself ordering sheets of glass in matching colours from the back seat of the car while travelling around the island. Those memories have since become a series of glass landscape panels inspired by Iceland's extraordinary scenery.

One of those pieces now sits on the windowsill above my desk. Every time the light shines through it, I'm transported straight back to that landscape.

The greatest joy, however, comes from knowing that my work becomes part of someone else's story.

Perhaps it's one of my handmade glass flowers bought as a Mother's Day gift. Maybe it's a dragonfly suncatcher hanging in a baby's nursery, catching the morning sun. Or perhaps it's a piece of jewellery worn by someone who values originality and wants to wear something that nobody else owns.

Every artwork carries a little of its maker with it.

For me, a piece of handmade glass is never just another decorative object.

It captures light, preserves memories, tells a story and creates an emotional connection. It becomes a focal point in a home, a reminder of a special occasion or simply a source of everyday joy.

That is why I continue making glass.

And I hope that every piece I create brings a little more light into someone else's world.