Alison McConachie - Glass

Alison McConachie studied glass at Edinburgh College of Art and the Royal College of Art in London.

Irisgelb Aurora, Goldbraun Aurora, Black Silverbleu Lustre and Black Irisgelb are part of a series of vessels inspired by a trip to Venice a few years ago.  She explains “I wanted to capture a sense of that atmosphere of richness, elegance and antiquity.”

Describing her work she says “I am constantly drawn to the warmth and generosity of the vessel form. It is a strong, feminine shape that allows me very personal expression and lets me work at a scale that gives a sense of real presence to the pieces. 

“I work on both the outer and the inner skin of the pieces, playing with light on the smooth exterior with texture and silver leaf, while breaking into the fragile inside colour layer to bring light into the centre. I use glue chip to create the texture as it gives me the curious, elaborate and rather aged feel I am looking for. It also adds an unpredictable element to the work as it behaves in such a spontaneous way.
 
“As well working with this rich mixture of strong, seductive colour and transmitted light, I am also exploring my fascination with darker vessels and the behaviour of reflected light on textured and cut black glass. These hide their colour inside, sometimes enhanced by lustre and enamel painting. Very little light passes through their walls. They refer back to an early love of rocks and minerals but, most particularly, to a lifelong obsession with black.”

In recent years Alison has exhibited internationally in British Glass at the Art Glass International in Utrecht, Edinburgh Makers at the National Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto, Glasskunst Triennale at Nurnberg in Germany and SOFA, Chicago (with the Scottish Gallery).

Last year she had a solo exhibition at the Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh and in January 2005 exhibited in 21st Century British Glass at the Daniel Katz Gallery in London.  She is currently working towards a solo exhibition at the Scottish Gallery in September 2007.

She has been a lecturer on the Glass and Architectural Glass course at Edinburgh College of Art since 1979.

Contact Alison