Alex Robinson

I am lucky to teach a subject which is so immediately engaging – the techniques of kiln formed glass are fairly simple and the basics can be picked up very quickly. I like to get students involved in making straight away and I’m a great believer in learning from each other’s work so I try to encourage a lot of mutual appreciation each time the kiln is opened!

I’d like to think they will be infected by my fascination with glass – indeed I’ve had a handful of West Dean students contact me after the course for advice on buying their own kiln, and I’ve taken that as a sign that they’ve fallen in love with glass too! It is an extraordinary material and quite beautiful, even before you do anything to it. As well as the obvious satisfaction of making their own lovely creations out of glass, I hope that students also leave with a good basic understanding of the technical aspects of kiln formed glass.

The first and most important technique is how to cut glass. After that, I show students how to combine different colours of glass in the fusing process as well as using a large selection of materials such as powdered glass frits, strings and noodles, as well as metal inclusions such as copper sheet, mesh and wire. My teaching emphasizes using different heights in the kiln to achieve diffferent levels of fusing and slumping.

Colour and movement!

The material itself provides the starting point and I takes my cues from there. Intricate surfaces are the signature style of both my personal work and my commissioned work, whether it is through the use of richly layered colour or elaborate textures.I often work around colour themes; by limiting my palette to one or two hues, Ican revel in contrasts of tone and texture. My work is opulent and often incorporates irridescent and reflective surfaces which means the glass is effective under many different lighting conditions.

At any given time I exhibit in various galleries around the UK (check my website for details) but regular galleries include the West Dean Gallery, Cambridge Contemporary Art and the Steps Gallery in Bristol. I also stock small boutique stores and galleries both in the UK and abroad with my smaller production pieces. Images of my work can be seen on my website.

I did an art foundation at Camberwell College of Art back in 1992 and went straight into a degree in History of Art at the Courtauld Institute. After having my son I returned to college and discovered glass through adult education classes which I did for five years, followed by two years at Central Saint Martins where I completed a postgraduate certificate in glass. I also thought it would be useful to have a teaching qualification under my belt so I did the Stage One City and Guilds course in further education teaching.

As well as teaching regular courses at West Dean for the last three years, I also teach two popular weekly classes in stained glass and kiln formed glass at an Adult Education college in North London. I occasionally run workshops for children and adults from my own studio and I have done a number of glass workshops in schools as part of larger commissions as well as stand-alone sessions.

Numerous private residences
Collection of University of the Arts, London
Collection of University College Hospital, Euston, London N1
Christ Church School, Chelsea, London SW3
St George’s School, Wandsworth, London SW8 (upcoming)

Recently I was a consultant to the glass section in “Contemporary Jewellery Techniques” by Vannetta Seecharran (Quarto Publishing, 2009)

British Society of Master Glass Painters
Contemporary Glass Society
Society of Designer Craftsmen
Craft Central
Hidden Art