Artist Statement

Hope Valley Glass Art combines fused and stained glass with printmaking techniques to create unique contemporary hand-made glass art. Working from her home studio in Hope Valley, glass artist Kathy has developed a range of original, high quality and affordable free-standing and framed wall art. Each piece is hand-made and unique so no two piece are exactly the same.

The glass is fired in a kiln for 12 hours at temperatures up to 800ºC and often requires multiple firings. It is a long process but is a visually stunning medium to work with. The beauty of fused and stained glass is that it appears to be constantly changing in different lights and settings .

“Working with fused glass is an exciting process as it changes in the kiln from a solid form to molten form and back again. No matter how much knowledge you have, you are never totally in control and I like that. I open my kiln each morning with eager anticipation, sometimes I am delighted and other times I am intrigued! There is never a dull moment!

I’m inspired by the beautiful Derbyshire countryside to create semi-abstract landscapes and I’m also inspired by my Spanish family costal home to create stunning seascapes. I work by layering high quality solid and crushed glass and combine various colours of glass which chemically react with each other to create the illusion of texture and depth. Some pieces are enhanced with printing techniques. My aim is to produce beautiful hand-made glass art at affordable prices and to be part of a local network of artisans. If you would like to know more about the glass fusing process and view my range of glass art, I look forward to seeing you at my home studio during the Derbyshire Open Arts event”