The Mike Davies Innovation Scholarship offered MA Glass student Maria Zulueta the opportunity to attend a seven-day course with renowned international glass artist Annie Cattrell in North Lands Creative Glass in Scotland.
Attending this course was an invaluable experience for Maria to further her creative practice as a glass artist, researching into new sculpture-making methods and installation processes.
“Following my master’s degree I wanted to continue developing my work, which is inspired by the complex beauty and ambiguity of the natural world,” she said. “My current concept is to juxtapose nature and the man-made, representing their connections and confrontations. In particular, how nature widely and continually reclaims its space, reappearing in places both habitable and forbidden in the urban landscape.”
She added: “North Lands Creative Glass is one of the world’s most prestigious centres for the study and development of glass as an art form, providing excellent facilities, opportunities and inspiration to artists working with glass from all over the world.”
During the workshops, students were introduced to the subject of residencies and experiences from different artists and organisers in the world of art, design, architectural and curating fields. Maria also had the opportunity to learn and try new techniques.
She said: “Practicing with the flame work technique was something totally new to explore in my glass making experience.
“When I work with glass processes, I incorporate intuitive encounters based on earlier engagement with material, processes and technical skills. This course gave me the opportunity to develop my work and helped me to consider how processes, materials and ideas work together.”
For Maria, this experience did not only encourage her to explore new directions and possibilities as an artist but also to expand her network and open up opportunities for future collaboration and exhibitions.
She concluded: “This experience has tremendously benefited my work as an artist. I embraced new possibilities and ideas, and this also allowed me to take huge steps towards realising my creative expectations and how to manifest them with glass.
“I would like to express my indebted gratitude to Mike Davies and another huge thank you to the Committee for their selection. It has been a huge honour.”