Summer Solstice Catalogue

Artist, pioneer, mentor, Peter Layton is one of the founding fathers of British studio glass. He discovered the artform while teaching ceramics in the US in the mid 1960s, and has played a major part in elevating glass from a material for industrial purposes to a highly collectable artform. Most importantly, he helped to give it a home in the UK. 

Alison Lowry, a Northern Ireland-based glass artist, creates work in her studio, 'Schoolhouse Glass' in Saintfield. A graduate of the University of Ulster with a degree in Art and Design, Alison has received several awards, including first place in the 'Glass Art' category at the Royal Dublin Show. Her artwork is exhibited both locally and internationally and is held in various public collections.

Amanda Simmons has worked with glass for the past twenty years after a previous career in engineering and medicine. She graduated from London’s Central St Martins School of Art & Design with Distinction after studying for a Postgraduate Certificate in Glass & Architecture. She is now based in Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland where she conducts a variety of online glass teaching courses.

Anthony Scala’s fascination with glass started at the age of eight after a visit to London Glassblowing. He has developed a signature style that is heavily influenced by his interest in architecture, mathematics and physics. He is fascinated by light and the optical illusions that glass makes possible, piecing together refractive components to hoodwink the viewer.

Bethany Wood graduated from De Montfort University with a Design degree. Specialising in glass making, she has since worked with many renowned glass makers around England. To her, glass is a performance of art; there is rhythm and adrenaline, within a carefully curated routine.

Bruce Marks was bitten by the glass bug when he first discovered lampworking. Intent on becoming a glassblower, Bruce introduced himself to Peter Layton in 2001 and spent a number of years assisting in the London Glassblowing studio. Since then, he has completed a Masters degree in Glass from the University of Creative Arts and has become Peter’s principal colourist and Studio Manager.    

This collaboration was sparked by a conversation between Bruce Marks and Cathryn Shilling, as they reflected on the delight of discovering ocean creatures and plants in and around rock pools during seaside holidays as children. 

Originally working as a designer and with a degree in Graphic Design, Cathryn’s move to the USA in 2001 prompted her to pursue a new and exciting creative direction. Here she was introduced to and studied Stained Glass and, continuing to explore the medium in 2004, Cathryn became a student of blown glass with Peter Layton while also experimenting with the possibilities of kilnformed glass. She worked as the curator of the Gallery at London Glassblowing from 2010-2019 and is recommended by the Homo Faber Guide.

Internationally regarded as a pioneer in the field of kiln cast glass, Colin Reid is widely considered to be one of the most important sculptors working in glass today. His artworks are represented in sixty museum collections worldwide and he has undertaken many public and private commissions. Based in his Gloucestershire studio, Colin has developed the expertise and facilities to handle a variety of mixed-media and glass commissions.

‘My work is inspired by the landscape. I love exploring the rugged cliffs and other ancient geological sites of Britain. My creative process begins when I am faced with the history of the land. It is the feeling of a place that ignites my imagination. Glass, as a material, is irresistible to me. I enjoy the challenge of designing sculptures that interact with light and create dancing inner worlds within their form. The process, from concept to realisation, allows for the unexpected to take place. This can be exciting and can often lead to new discoveries that inform the evolution of my work.’