IAN PEARSON – AN OVERVIEW

Glass Creations is the business trading name solely owned by glass artist Ian Pearson. He has operated from his small studio in Thurso since 1990 when he and his late wife Maureen started the venture. In 2005 Maureen died and Ian vowed to carry on burning the flame even brighter.

An obituary for Maureen can be found here.

Ian commenced a career as a scientific glassblower with a company owned by his Uncle who was himself a scientific glassblower, thus continuing a family tradition. The company, Scientific Glassware Specialists was based in Thornton Heath, Surrey, close to where Ian was born in 1953 at Croydon. Following this three year employment which saw Ian carry out artistic demonstrations of flame working to local schools and charities, other employers included: Scientific Glassblowing Company, Oldham; Jencons Scientific, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire; United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, Dounreay, Caithness. Ian retired from Dounreay in 2018 which allowed him to devote more time to Glass Creations and to focus on establishing himself as a glass artist.

In 1985 Ian became Editor of the Journal of the British Society of Scientific Glassblowers, www.bssg.co.uk
a position he continues to hold today. Previously he was their Audio/Visual co-ordinator and Abstract Editor. In 2002 Ian was chosen to lead the BSSG as their Chairman and held this post until he stepped down in September 2009. Awarded Honorary Membership of the Society and in 2011 presented with his Fellowship. He has written many articles on flame working glass and travelled extensively in the UK as well as USA and Europe demonstrating his style of work.

A regular exhibitor with the Scottish Glass Society Ian has also demonstrated various glass working techniques at several American Scientific Glassblowers Annual Symposiums as well as at glass symposiums in Holland and Switzerland and many Symposiums organised by the British Society of Scientific Glassblowers, some of which he has organised.

Of his many prizes and accolades Ian cites his Scottish Glass Society’s “Oddball of the Year” award in 1993 as extra special!

Ian has taught basic lamp working skills at North Lands in Lybster, Caithness as well as working with several artists there to assist them realise their ideas to turn them into physical works.

Ian’s work can be seen at various public and private locations such as: St. Anne’s RC Church, Thurso Caithness; Castle of Mey, Caithness; Thurso Cemetery, Caithness; Perkin Elmer Optoelectronics, Cambridgeshire; Thurso Glass Studio, Thurso Caithness; Thomas Kinkade Gallery, Ireland; UKAEA establishments, Harwell, Sellafield and Dounreay; US Navy establishments – various
Daniel O’Donnell’s home/hotel. Ireland; With Billy Idol; DVD inner for “Remember That Night” by David Gilmour; Charity Shops!!!!!!!!

Ian has been a Beaver Scout Leader for over 35 years and is Chairman of the Society of Caithness Artists who has held annual exhibitions in Thurso for over 84 years.

You can view my CV here