In drama and fire
- Will creates blown glass sculptures with topographic forms
- His practice merges traditional Venetian cane work with a freeform approach
- Through these techniques, he reveals the expressive and experimental potential of glass
George William Bell’s contemporary glassblowing practice emphasises experimentation within the context of classical techniques. He began his creative journey after a formative encounter at a glassblowing studio, followed by hands-on work and formal education. He earned a masters in ceramics and glass from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Art in 2019, where he has since taught. Will’s vessels stretch and warp delicate canes into fluid, organic patterns that fossilise motion. “I am fascinated by the intrinsic memory and volatility unique to glass. You cannot capture these moments in wood or other materials," he says. "It is the reason why I chose glass.”
Interview
- How do traditional glassblowing techniques feature in your pieces?
- Traditional Venetian cane work has strict line patterns. I use those lines to illustrate the movement of the glass, in a kind of a topographic map. Where the glass blows thinner, the lines divide, and where it is thicker, they are closer together, creating an impression of movement.
- Where does your creative process begin?
- I usually come into the studio with a rough idea and then let the natural properties of the glass influence the final shape. Working with glass is strange, it is a creative act, but you are also trying to stop it exploding! I am part of a team because glass is very difficult to work with alone.
- What aspect of your craft tends to surprise people?
- The intensity of it surprised me at first. Some of the objects I make push the limit of what I can physically hold. I tend to make quiet objects, but the process is anything but quiet. It is drama and fire.
- Which elements of the work interest you the most?
- In my work, I am interested in what glass can do and in working with its materiality. I capture moments where the glass is moving. I like leaving clues about the making process, and elevating them into features of the final piece.
George William Bell is a master artisan: he began his career in 2007 and he started teaching in 2017
Where
George William Bell
