The kaleidoscopic world of a glass devotee
- Amy's main sources of inspiration are nature and colour
- Her Paradise sculptures have become her signature creation
- She has made majestic installations in cathedrals
In the realm of bespoke, vibrant glass artistry, Amy Cushing stands as a renowned figure. Since the late 1990s, through experimentation and refinement, she has become a glass fusing virtuoso. Amy creates one-off pieces ranging from small objects to imposing hanging installations – painstakingly assembled manually and methodically, for private collectors, art consultants and site-specific commissions for the corporate world. Her work is usually geometric, abstract and highly luminous, even spiritually elevating at times. Amy's creations are a symphony of layers, blending a myriad of hues and dimensions to articulate a visual narrative of boundless joy and intrigue. Lately, she has joined forces with a metalworker artist to create striking mixed-media sculptures.
Interview
- Why is working with glass so special to you?
- My practice is driven by colour sequence, and of all the mixed disciplines I have studied and worked with, glass gives the purest and most luminous form of colour.
- How many stages are involved in the making of one of your Paradise sculptures?
- Paradise are handmade using hybrid glass techniques. There are five stages with multiple processes at each stage: hot mouth blown glass, cold cutting and polishing, kiln-formed glass making, water jet cutting and bonding.
- What were the challenges of working on an installation in a cathedral?
- To create a piece that has presence within such a powerful space. For me it is important that these works inhabit the space and engage the viewer, while retaining a sense of fragility. Creating an artwork that provides contemplation and reflection.
- Do you remember the first object you made professionally?
- I was commissioned to create a large scale mosaic in a private residence. Many pieces were kiln fired using my art school facilities as I did not yet have my own set-up. I incorporated handmade pieces with intricately cut coloured glass.
Amy Cushing is an expert artisan: she began her career in 1997
Where
Amy Cushing
