Amanda Simmons

Glass fuser

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From scientist to glass artist

Amanda uses opaque glass powders to create lightweight, fragile works
She approaches glassmaking in a scientific way
19th century artist John James Audubon's bird illustrations inspire her

Amanda Simmons began her career as a telecoms engineer and then pursued a biomedical science degree, going on to work in hospitals as an operator of heart-lung machines during cardiac operations. Very different jobs, but what she loved about both was using her hands and head to solve problems. However, although she enjoyed her career, she always felt she was searching for something else. Over the years she had taken classes in many forms of art before finally having a “lightbulb moment” on a week’s stained glass course. Her love of glass was “instant. It just spoke to me so much,” she says. Now living in Scotland, she makes kiln-formed glass pieces, often inspired by the birds she sees from her studio windows.

Interview

How did your science background help your glassmaking?
If I hadn’t done engineering and then the medical job, I wouldn’t have understood glass as much as I do. Putting those three together completely made sense. I work with glass as a scientist – you have a concept, design the experiment, document the results and come to a conclusion.
How would you define your working process?
I think of something as an end point, so the 3D image is in my head, but that comes from lots and lots of research: reading around the subject, sketching, model-making, printmaking. There’s definitely a thrill of having something in your mind and then physically creating it.
Where do you find inspiration for your works?
A like to make the glass as lightweight and fragile as possible. That is tied in with a complete fascination with birds. The two have come together, because it doesn’t make sense to have something inspired by a creature that is so light and fragile, and have a heavy piece of glass.
What do you love most about what you do?
I think it’s the freedom of being an artist. I love how this job can be totally different, that I can choose my own projects, my own research and get to work with a lot of fantastic people. I am grateful every day.

Amanda Simmons is a master artisan: she began her career in 2002 and she started teaching in 2011