Jessamy Kelly

The combination of glass and ceramics as a means of artistic expression in studio practice

This research project is an investigation into the feasibility of combining glass and ceramics within artistic studio practice.

Aims & Objectives of the research

This research project is an investigation into the feasibility of combining glass and ceramics within artistic studio practice. This is focused through the following aims and objectives:

Aims:

• To develop the practical and creative parameters of the combination of glass and ceramics.
• To create artwork that develops and demonstrates the results of the research, focusing on the use of light as a means of enhancing the inherent material qualities.
• To map the links between glass and ceramics in education, museum and artistic sectors to aid the articulation of the significance of the research results.

Objectives:

• To identify a possible route to develop a process that combines glass and ceramics.
• To produce a body of combined glass and ceramic artwork which develops and demonstrates the creative potential of a new process for practitioners in the field.
• To create reference points in order to aid the positioning of the research within the field of study.

Summary of the research

At first glass and ceramics may appear to be two separate disciplines, however upon closer inspection they have a lot more in common. They have many related qualities and can be processed in similar ways; they are often transformed into functional or decorative objects. Distinct fields with their own specific histories and conventions, glass and ceramics are often combined in museum collections, galleries and educational institutions. Despite being intimately related they are rarely combined in studio practice. This is apparent in the scarcity of works that combine glass and ceramics in a historical or contemporary context. Writers and artists tend to focus on one field or the other, for this reason glass and ceramics generally remain separate and not combined.

It is recognised in studio ceramics that porcelain can partially convert into a glassy phase, when high fired to create translucent effects. It is also known that in industrial engineering through a controlled process of crystallisation, glass can be converted into a partially crystalline form to create a glass-ceramic material. There is however little evidence of glass-ceramics being exploited in artistic studio practice; it is the continued aim of this investigation to address this gap in making. The creation of artworks in glass & ceramics will help to develop new artistic approaches and qualities for this material, which will challenge the usual aesthetic of industrial products and will have distinctive qualities over conventional industrial forms. The creative practice aims to challenge the potential of this material to create new ways of working, offering a model for others in the field.