Stunning work on display in Sunderland at new National Glass Centre exhibition

The free exhibition, Confluence, is displayed until September 10. It was developed from a conversation between Andrew Livingstone, artist and professor of ceramics at the University of Sunderland and Julia Stephenson, head of arts at NGC.

They asked Dutch artist Bouke de Vries and British artist Andrea Walsh, both known for their ceramics work, to join Andrew in NGC’s glass and ceramics department, where they were given access to experts and specialised equipment.

The three artists had mainly worked in ceramics, so they each had to learn new processes.

Bouke’s work involves pottery represented in Vermeer’s famous 1657 painting The Milkmaid. The broken pottery was dug from the ground in archaeological digs over the years in the Netherlands, then put back together and and placed in miniature glass “crates” for the exhibition.

The NGC team, including lecturers, technicians, graduates and students, worked with each artist on their work. The results can be seen in the exhibition, produced and curated by independent curator and consultant Gregory Parsons.

Gregory said: “Andrea was fascinated by the fluidity and movement of glass and used waterjet cutting and hot glass making techniques to create her beautiful pieces.

“All three artists have learned new methodologies which will help them further their artistic practices.”

Andrew said: “My work for this exhibition emerged from a recent painting that depicts a self portrait and is based on a personal narrative that explores queer identity, its construction and reading.

“The clay artwork in the exhibition demonstrates a return to fired ceramic within my work, with a particular focus on layered glaze surface, text and graphic imagery. This exploration is an extension of my studio practice, based on painting and drawing which is transposed to the ceramic surface and extended through the medium of glass.”

Julia Stephenson added: “There are some commonalties between the materials, processes, and studio equipment, however there are also vast differences which exude their own languages within the creative processes of both mediums.

“We asked the question: ‘How might an artist who works predominately with clay/ceramics explore the medium of glass?’”

The Confluence exhibition is in NGC’s main gallery. For more information visit www.nationalglasscentre.com.