News — fused glass waves

Paula Rylat is an esteemed American glass artist living in West Wales. We are proud that she has selected Utopia as the gallery to have her last solo exhibition before retiring.

Rylatt's intense studies of nature create dynamic responses capturing the energy and movement of the observed. She is particularly inspired by the contrasts of change within constancy of trees and the sea. Her chosen material is clear, fused glass as it evokes the solid, yet ethereal qualities of her subject.

Crest

"There is something of those dynamics in my use of clear, fused glass; a solid material that looks like it will melt away, a ghost image of a place that allows the 'here and now' to be seen through it."

“I live a quiet and simple life in the hills of mid-coast Wales, and my work reflects that. I am particularly (but not solely) inspired by trees and the sea, which appear to have very different dynamics but which contain similar contrasts. Trees seem so constant, solid and still; silent witnesses, yet they are always moving, in growth or death or in response to their environment. The sea on the other hand appears to be in constant motion and change, slippery churning, but from an airplane waves breaking on a beach don't appear to move at all. They look frozen. The sea level turmoil is just energy passing through a fluid mass.

"There is something of those dynamics in my use of clear, fused glass; a solid material that looks like it will melt away, a ghost image of a place that allows the 'here and now' to be seen through it."

Coastal Wind

There Was a Time When

Glass interactive installation and poem

Living near the sea is both a delight and a wonder: a watery world that is continually in flux.  Always engaging and dynamic, the sea's different moods and weathers effect and stimulate a way of being. Creating emotional artistic responses to the sea is as fundamental as breathing for artists who are lucky enough to reside near the coast. In this new exhibition, Fish & Ships, three artists respond in different ways to coastal living.

Dreya Bennett 

Dreya is an artist of the sea. Captivated by the ocean at an early age she went on to kite surf in the world championships and achieve a world record between Cornwall and Ireland. Now retired from competitions, she embraces her passion for the waves through working with fused glass. Read more about Cornwall artist Dreya Bennett.

"The sea is all encompassing: its colours, sounds and smells, its reflections, translucency and constant movement can hold your attention like nothing else. The similar unique qualities of glass, which have captured my heart, form the perfect medium to express water."

Paul Campbell

Paul's love of boats started at an early age - spending weekends volunteering at the Liverpool Maritime Museum, where he helped restore the 3-masted schooner De Wadden and the pilot boat Edmund Gardner.

Norfolk's Paul Campbell's Bath Tap Boats arose from Paul's enjoyment of salvaging wood and other reclaimed materials. His magpie eye has led to a varied collection of items, from copper pipes and old brass hinges to Victorian taps, which he now gives a new lease of life incorporating them into his handcrafted boats. Read more about Norfolk artist Paul Campbell.

Each Bath Tap Boat is unique.

Frances Noon

Frances Noon is fascinated by the manipulation of scale. She creates small playful vignettes of country or seaside scenes, crafted from wood, brass and copper.

In her workshop in the foothills of the Southern Pennines, she carefully makes quirky miniature animals and birds from metal to adorn her sculptures of hand-painted structures. Noon's world is one of delight and she invites us to play. Read more about Yorkshire artist Frances Noon.

Jac Scott

Meanwhile, owner of Utopia, artist Jac Scott, responds to the sea in dramatic sweeps of oil paint, colour and texture.

Well-observed fish studies painted with oils on vintage plates is another way Jac Scott tells her narrative of living by the sea. Read more about Norfolk artist Jac Scott and Utopia: The Unexpected Gallery.