Fiona Pattison- BA (Hons) Product Design and Craft
"Flow. The Story of a Glass Maker"
Artist Statement Fiona Pattison
Glass Maker, Artist and Storyteller.
My creative practice is an active journey of self-discovery, driven by the emotional resonance of colour, texture, and form. Drawn to the natural world, I am deeply inspired by water—its vastness, power, and serene calm. I find a compelling contradiction in trying to capture a fluid, moving natural force within a medium that is fundamentally solid and still. Through glass, I seek to make something temporary and elusive feel beautifully permanent, exploring how a rigid material can embody the perpetual concept of flow.
To achieve this, my process bridges furnace and kiln work. I utilise hot working methods to blow and manipulate glass straight from the furnace while it is in a continuous state of motion. In the kiln, I selectively tack fuse elements together, contour fuse to establish smooth edges, or slump the material over strategic equipment, allowing it to become completely fluid. These individual glass "Waves" are meticulously cut, layered, and polished to achieve an absolute clarity of colour. When paired with strategic lighting, the resulting installations cast intricate projections that enhance the overall sense of movement, inviting viewers into an interactive dialogue with the narrative.
"All the rivers shall flow into the seas, yet the seas shall be not yet full." — Ecclesiastes 1:7
Collectively, these unique waves vary in size, colour, and shape to form a unified, flowing movement that mirrors our shared global reliance on water. However, this journey is deliberately unequal. By incorporating darker areas with restricted projections, my work confronts the urgent crisis of water inequality, symbolising regions worldwide facing poor water quality or a complete lack of fresh, running water. With 2.2 billion people lacking safely managed water, my goal is to balance technical skill with profound storytelling, reflecting the beauty, fragility, and critical balance of our world's most vital resource.
