Stuart is an award-winning studio glass designer-maker based in Nottingham and has been making glass for over 30 years. He creates forms in vibrant colours and organic shapes. Instantly identifiable, his work possesses a sense of movement and grace within the solid form.
Stuart's glassmaking career began in the north east of England, where he learned the basics on the BA(hons) course at Sunderland University, followed by a Post Graduate Diploma at the International Glass Centre, Brierley Hill. A stint as head maker at an established glass makers lead to starting his own business in 1991.
Stuart's designs begin with inspiration from the world around him. After sketching out the initial ideas, the next stage is experimenting with the hot glass and making 3D forms. These glass prototypes are then further refined to produce the final piece.
Stuart's sculptural pieces titled 'Intention' are a perfect example of this refinement: a solid, stretched form encasing vibrant colours and presented on a steel stand. These one-off pieces were inspired by the Skylon structure, which became the symbol of the 1951 Festival of Britain (the celebration of British design during a period of post-war hope and austerity, which was an incredibly creative time).
Stuart continues to pursue new International markets and was selected to exhibit with the Crafts Council at Design Days Dubai in 2016 and 2017. He is a member of the Crafts Council Directory of Makers and the Contemporary Glass Society.
