History

• Born, George F. Jackson, Birmingham, UK. June 1948
• Trained as an Art & Design teacher in the 1960s
• Qualified in 1969. Taught in Technical, High Schools & Adult Education for 25 years; for the majority of this period being Head of an Art & Design department & Director of a Creative Studies Department Faculty
• Later Focused on the development of ceramic work, eventually succumbing to glass as an expressive medium
• Completed an Advanced Diploma at the International Glass Centre, Brierley Hill, West Midlands 2004
• Worked from The Red House Glass Cone, Wordsley, West Midlands 2004-2006

Qualifications

• Advanced Diploma in Glass Techniques & Technology
  International Glass Centre, Dudley College
  2004
• OCNWM- Glass Techniques & Technology
  International Glass Centre, Dudley College
  2003 - 2004
• Diploma in Art & Design Education
  Birmingham School of Art, University of Central England
  1978
• Diploma in History of Art & Design
  City of Birmingham Polytechnic
  1975 (part time)
• Certificate in Education (Teacher Training)
  Dudley College of Education
  1966 - 1969

Awards

• 'Student of the Year' - International Glass Centre 2003
• 'Scholarship Studio Award' - International Glass Centre 2004

Exhibitions

• Brit Handmade. Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India. May 2002
• First Gather. Himley Hall, West Midlands. May/June 2003
• New Designers. Business Design Center, London. July 2003
• Winter Exhibition. Coombe Farm Gallery, Dittisham, South Devon. 2003
• Festival of Glass. The Red House Glass Cone, Wordsley, West Midlands. August/September 2004
• Second Gather. Himley Hall, West Midlands. May/June 2005
• Love Contemporary Glass. The Red House Glass Cone. September 2005
• Glass Sellers Prize 2005. The Glass Art Gallery. London. 2005
• 'Pâte de Verre x 4': Dan Klein Associates. London. February/March 2006
• Second Gather. Himley Hall, West Midlands. May/June 2006
• Breaking the Mould: Contemporary Pâte de Verre. Broadfield House Glass Museum. July/October 2006
• Love Contemporary Glass. The Red House Glass Cone. August/September 2006
• British Glass Biennale. Ruskin Mill, Wordsley, West Midlands. August/September 2006
• 1000 Glass Miles. Eisch Atelier Gallery, Frauenau. August 2007
• Same Difference. Eisch Atelier Gallery, Frauenau. August 2008
• British Glass Biennale. Ruskin Mill, Wordsley, West Midlands. August/September 2010
• Essence. London Glassblowing. September/October 2010

Artists Statement

  I am in the process of a creative metamorphosis. Having begun my activities initially as a painter, I swiftly moved towards ceramics. In recent years I have fallen victim to the seductive qualities of glass and the many & varied means of working it.

  Glass can be both an exciting and a cruel mistress, very often springing pleasant unexpected surprises, but equally likely to be unforgiving & heartbreaking in its reluctance to behave & perform to expectations. It is full of contradictions - fragile but strong, can be soft in appearance but hard in its nature.

  Pâte de Verre is my preferred technique - bringing together a number of skills & working methods. The process lends itself to an incremental, manageable approach, allowing for the gradual development of ideas within a piece of work or theme. There is no pressure or restrictions of working time. The process is affordable, particularly when using recycled glass, as I often do. It is challeging, unpredictable, yet extremely satisfying.

  Many of my pieces are wall panels in quite heavy relief featuring a single figure. However, some recent pieces focus more upon simple forms & tactile surfaces.