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Ruth works from her studio, based in Cardiff, where she produces a variety of fused and kiln formed objects of vivid colour and depth such as bowls,jewellery, as well as free standing and wall mounted pieces. She also works alongside architects to design and produce or restore leaded lights. She draws inspiration from the colourful world around and her affinity with the rich landscape and beauty around Aberystwyth, Mid Wales,where she was brought up.
After qualifying in Textiles and a period of travelling extensively through Asia researching native colour and pattern formation, she changed direction to glass in 1991. She fell in love with glass and was captivated by the reflection and intensity of colour as light hit the coloured glass.
She initially worked with the traditional methods of leading and copper foiling the glass, progressing to developing new ways through mosaic and gluing glass. In the last six years she has been mainly working with fusing glass in a kiln. She selects glass for its colour and texture and cut according to the final design. The glass is then arranged in a kiln and fired to more than 800°C, melting and fusing it into one seamless piece. After cooling, the piece may be fired again, perhaps over a mould to "slump" the glass into a final shape. This method has enabled her to develop further artistic ideas, and gives more fluidity and movement to the glass without having the rigidity of lead and solder to hold it together. She enjoys its endless possibilities, sometimes cutting and re-fusing a piece many times to obtain interesting and satisfactory results. Ruth is continually experimenting and developing her glass fusing techniques.
Ruth was selected for membership of the Makers Guild in Wales in 2003 and exhibits in their gallery, Craft in the Bay. She is also a member of the Society of Designer Craftsmen. Ruth exhibits both nationally and internationally. Currently her work is being shown as part of a world tour with the Welsh Assembly exhibiting Welsh Makers work. She also works to commission and is bilingual in Welsh and English.
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