5 THINGS PEOPLE GET WRONG ABOUT GLASS ART (AND ME)

Glass has a reputation. A bit posh. A bit fragile. Something your nan collects or your mum's wineglass shatters in the dishwasher. But glass... the kind I work with... has nothing to do with delicacy and everything to do with fire, play, danger and transformation.

People love to make assumptions. About the material. About me. About what it means to be a contemporary artist who’s still hustling through a fine art degree while elbow-deep in molten chaos.

So, let’s smash a few myths, shall we?

1. "Glass art? You mean vases and bowls?"

No shade to vases. But contemporary glass art is a whole different beast.

Think distorted reflections. Glass sculpture fused with sensors and light. Found objects getting a second life inside transparent forms. It's messy. It's emotional. It's alive.

My work might start with glass, but it never ends there.

2. "It must be so peaceful working with glass"

Sure. If your idea of peace involves flames, shattering sounds and dodging hot fragments mid-air.

Glass doesn’t cooperate. It reacts. It resists. It explodes. And yet, that’s the thrill. I’m not trying to tame it. I’m trying to listen to it.

3. "You’re so confident. You must know exactly what you’re doing"

Let’s get this clear. I have no idea half the time. But I show up. I experiment. I fail gloriously and then try again.

Confidence doesn’t mean knowing everything. It means trusting the mess. It means making the thing anyway, even when imposter syndrome is screaming in the background.

4. "Glass is too fragile to be taken seriously"

Wrong. Glass is ancient. Glass has outlived empires. It’s survived lava flows, buried cities, and my own late-night meltdowns.

Fragility isn’t weakness. It’s part of what makes the material powerful. And when it breaks?

That becomes part of the story.

5. "You must have a defined style by now"

Style is overrated. I’m still playing. Still shifting. Still surprised by where the work takes me. One day it's reflective panels. The next, it’s shredded denim in resin.

Being an emerging artist isn’t about sticking to a brand. It’s about chasing curiosity. Always.

In short? Glass isn’t precious. I’m not polished. And that’s exactly the point. If you thought glass was tame or tidy, you’re about to have your world cracked wide open.