Lisa Pettibone

Glass sculptor | Gomshall, United Kingdom

Playing with a material of contradictions

Lisa creates glass sculptures with deep meaning
Her work is exhibited across the UK and Europe
She enjoys the elasticity of glass

Born in Oakland California, Lisa Pettibone has made Surrey her home. Here she creates her glass and mixed media sculptures. She draws inspiration from the natural forces that surround us: gravity, energy, tension, and light. Lisa has a particular interest in scientific concepts, even liaising with astrophysicists at space science laboratories such as ESA and NASA in the research phase of her creative process. She touches on the big questions of existence and combines these with form and imagery to create her sculptures. Her work challenges our perceptions of the universe. Lisa was a finalist for the British Glass Biennale 2022, longlisted for the Aesthetica Art Prize 2023 and has exhibited widely in the UK and Europe including at Collect International Art Fair in London.

Interview

©Lisa Pettibone

Where did you first encounter glass?: At a summer course in California with Marvin Liposfsky. It was such a physical experience working with hot glass. I was mesmerised by the material and continued to take ad hoc courses while working as a graphic designer before going on to complete a BA and MA.
What does well made mean to you?: It is important that objects stand the test of time. I am careful about making glass, annealing it properly and considering its finish. But the finish is not everything, an object is well made when the concept and the material come together in a captivating way.
What draws you to glass?: Glass is such a flexible material. I am most interested in the way it records spontaneous movement and its elastic qualities. It interacts with light, producing ephemeral effects while being permanent in structure – it’s a material of contradictions.
Why do you make?: I make to express a connection with the world. To a certain extent, I learn through making – it helps me think and understand my surroundings. I love the physical problem-solving process of working out how to make a form.

Lisa Pettibone is a master artisan: she began her career in 2005 and she started teaching in 2005