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Jo Ricketts
Website:
Into the Spinney
Samurai
Reaching for the Sky (detail)
Biography
Working with glass, especially fusing, allows me to fulfil two ambitions:
‘My mission - bringing to life the intrinsic beauty of glass, and in doing so providing pleasure to all those who see and interact with my work’
‘My Vision – evolving techniques and structures to create fused glass objects and sculptures that inspire others and in doing so, create and offer opportunities for others to develop and learn’
In other words, bringing glass to life for all!
inspiration
I was initially inspired by the intrinsic beauty of glass itself, in the way it reflects, refracts and diffuses light. Different glass reacts differently in the kiln, and thus each piece of work is unique. I always find it exciting to open the kiln to see the final result, and this adds to the motivation to experiment with colour and texture to create something beautiful and new.
Inspiration also comes from my passions for Artdeco, mathematics, and the greens and blues of the natural world.
I am keen to develop my skills, and I grasp any opportunity to do so. Learning new techniques and discovering new possibilities is a further source of inspiration, and this is evident in the progression shown in my work.
In addition, the appreciation of my work shown by visitors and fellow artists continues to be a great source of inspiration.
medium
I work almost exclusively with fused glass.
My preferred medium is transparent glass as this enables ambient light to reflect, refract or diffuse to enhance the beauty of the object. Many of my pieces have been inspired by the natural world, and blues and greens feature prominently.
Although many of the finished pieces have a practical use, such as a clock, a bowl, a coaster or a table, all are designed to showcase the beauty of the glass.
My work has always had a sculptural element, and this aspect in particular has been developed over recent years as my skills and mastery of technique has grown. I continue to experiment with ways of using the kiln to bend glass, and as always this years’ exhibitions will have very new designs on display.