Cathryn Shilling

Glass sculptor

©Anthony Scala

©Ester Segarra

Glass fabric

Cathryn pushes the limits of glass
Her designer background has informed the way she works in glass
She is fascinated by the study of non-verbal body language

After studying graphic design at the Central School of Art & Design in London and following further trainings with glass kiln forming, glass fusing and glass blowing techniques in the USA and England, Cathryn Shilling set up her studio in 2008. Always observing the technical constraints of her material, she works with glass in an innovative way to develop a visual language that speaks through movement and colour, creating one-off sculptural pieces. Greatly inspired by kinesics, her works reflect a non-verbal narrative that evokes a stylised sense of human movement, where the apparent frailty of the glass is balanced by strong dynamic forms. The science behind her work helps her interpret, rather than reproduce her encounters within this remarkable planet.

Interview

©Anthony Scala

Why did you choose this career?: My time studying stained glass gave me a deep love of the material of glass itself. I had already learned some of the skills necessary to work with glass, but I realised that through glass fusing I could create three dimensional sculptural objects.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?: By using texture, light and colour in unexpected ways, my intention is to evoke a stylised sense of human movement, without literally recreating the form of a human. It is as if the glass fabric were gently blowing against a human form.
What is your signature skill?: I have adapted Venetian cane techniques to create my work. I painstakingly bring together hundreds of diaphanous glass rods that appear to be woven together like fabric, mimicking the flexibility and movement of cloth, a technique which is very much my own.
Do you consider your craft at risk?: Although popular at an entry level in the UK as a hobby, glass crafts at higher education are being phased out in favour of more contemporary subjects such as future materials. There is a very real danger for all the heritage crafts.

Cathryn Shilling is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2009