IAN PEARSON – ARTIST STATEMENT

When I am working with glass in the flame I “enjoy” a love/hate relationship. I love how two pieces can become one as the hot glass flows between two bodies. I hate the tension of almost battling with the material to behave in my desired direction. The satisfaction on completion is almost an anti-climax equally balanced with the anticipation of uncertainty that the item will emerge from the annealing oven as planned. An additional bonus that I relish on interacting with hot glass is accepting the danger of naked flames by enjoying the, at times intense heat which warms my skin in an almost loving fashion.

My training in scientific glassblowing taught me the importance of fine craftsmanship which I strive to incorporate in my art. Clarity of the material is vital to me and I try to avoid colour most of the time. I attempt to shun technology and machinery in an attempt to favour the simple task of manipulating rods and tubes of glass in a flame. My works reflects my view of life, seeking the quirky side and accept as a compliment the comment from some of my peers that my art is naïve.