Description of Works
Traditional method, contemporary interpretation
An insight into how I approach each of work, if you would like to see others please go to Churches, Commercial Properties or Residential Commissions
Bob's Window
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Bob Collins was a great friend of mine. He was the person who made me believe that I was an artist, not just a window maker. He bought and installed the signage of my first workshop on Ferry Road. He lived just around the corner, he would pop in everyday to watch me leading up, cutting and painting. Always keen to see my progression as an artist. He also constantly encouraged me even when my insecurities about my skills crept in. He always supported me. "You can do it Andy, it's right in front of you, I can see it, even if you can't yet".
Everyday I would go to his flat. On the kitchen table there was a beautiful green antique vase, always with roses in it. We would sit and iron out the day with a cup of tea, looking out over the Edinburgh skyline, which is depicted within this window. When Bob passed away it made me think of all of these moments. I'm sure he would have liked what I made for him, because he helped make me.
The Crow
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Inspired by the cold bright mornings in East Lothian watching and listening to the caw of carrion crows, whilst the morning broke in front of me. The blue and white glass, the ice, freezing air, clean and crisp as the morning
The Blue Robe
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Untitled
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Ascension
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Calvaria
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This is where I turned a corner artistically. I had the center piece of a panel but I wanted to do more. I was using a palette knife and paints, pressure and direction to create movement on the small pieces of 2 mm glass. I was capturing the wind, seeing the air, waves, capturing a second. In time, once done, it takes seconds, my eye knew what it was, then straight in the kiln. Always three elements in the panel or three elements of one colour. Three is the most even of numbers if you have something near center and elements somewhere either side, there is balance.
Calvaria, as the rest of these panels, has a religious theme.
The Soldier and the Saint
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Using two pieces of glass painted and stained randomly cut placed and changed, in a way a glass version of William Burroughs cut up way of writing. The elements landing the way they should, reading just so. No other reason than because. To my eye the soldier, crusader, the saintly figure are all looking towards heaven.
The Kingfisher and the Swan
The Candle, the Robe and the Crown
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Leaving the Beach
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Using small, sometime longer flexible knives and layered glass or painting both sides for effect; I got a figure of the back of a person, shoulders up, head down, I imagined myself or someone I knew turning and walking away from someone, somewhere. Leaving the beach or someplace I loved.
The elements that filled took minutes, I thickened the paint slightly and switched off. Along came a manta ray, dolphin, crashing waves, a mermaid, candle/lighthouse, wave. I arranged them to read in a rhythm I could see. Using simple lines and uncomplicated glass. Letting the elements speak for themselves and for each persons interpretation.
The Crook of the Moon
The Ebbing Tide and the Ragged Flag
An Evening in Gethsemane
The Dancing Man
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I found nice old piece of Hartley Woods glass playing around with a couple of small palette knives, I came up with, what looks to me, to be a man with a gas mask and a dinner suit on with no bow tie embracing whatever is in front of him, which was more or less me at the time. Dancing in the face of come what may.
The Albatross and the Sea
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Using a palette knife technique in seconds I maneuvered the paint with the knife I came away with what to me, looked much like an albatross' head, a wave and the movement of a whale followed.
Covid 19
During lockdown I was going through a stock of works, produced over the last couple of years. I thought it would be nice to wrap them up, put them in bags and leave them in random places to be found on the beach and pathways of Prestonpans (where l lived at the time). I wrote a letter to accompany each panel.
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I sat and watched from a distance as people cautiously approached, unwrapped then held the panel up to the sun. Seeing their reaction, knowing that they had something special that gave me so much pleasure to make. They smiled at me as they passed me sat on the shore, not knowing I was the creator behind the beautiful panel they were taking home.