Ahead of our David Reekie Showcase, 23 - 30 October, we asked the artist a series of questions to delve into his journey with glass, sources of inspiration, and his creative process. 

David’s work, including archive pieces, brand-new creations, and his sketches, will be available to purchase during the showcase. 

Please tell us why you chose the glass medium to create your work?

David Reekie: I was a student at Stourbridge College of Art in the 1960’s and glass making in all its forms was very much part of the course. I soon became aware that as a material it could be manipulated in many ways. For me as a casting material it has life and light that you do not get with any other material, and this works well when making figurative work.

Friends, Pencil Drawing

You’re bringing along your sketchbooks to the showcase here at London Glassblowing. How would you describe your creative process, from paper to glass?

David Reekie: Sketch books and any piece of paper that might be handy are where the initial ideas are recorded and then developed. These ideas may well lead to a more intense period where the drawings become the art and final result.

The faces of your sculptures are distinctive and consistent. How were these characters formed? What are the inspirations behind them?

David Reekie: Although the figures are ambiguous and imaginary, I will use newspaper photos to help formulate ideas. This source of images is vast and full of moments captured in time.

Another Kind of Dignity II

Politics and society are central to your work. What are you communicating through your figures?

David Reekie: I respond to situations in society and the world around all of us and use these responses as a source of never ending ideas. And like a satirist or cartoonist I try to bring these situations to the attention of anyone who cares to look at the work in depth.

What’s next?

David Reekie: Still thinking about this, the world is a mess and it is hard to respond to chaos.

More About David Reekie

With international recognition spanning decades, David is also a founding member of the Contemporary Glass Society. David’s work stands out in the glass world through a combination of his innovative lost wax casting techniques, commentary on political and societal dynamics, and his ability to capture the complexity of human relationships. In the words of David, he is a “figurative sculptor using satire and surreal theatre to express observations and frustrations about society”. An artist central to our glass community, his work has been held in prestigious institutions, including the Victoria and Albert Museum and Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh.