Shifting States
Digital Crafting in Glass. Installation / Sculpture.
Glass, Calcium Carbonate Forms, Laser Scan.
Shifting States renders marine life, like the serpulid worm’s shell - as layered glass sculptures, where sand, calcium carbonate, and fire echo the ocean’s shifting chemistry. Positioned between laboratory precision and studio craft, the work invites us to witness how chemical transformation can become visual insight revealing both geological affinity and fragile imbalance.
Shifting States begins with a serpulid worm shell, its coiled form shaped over millennia by the rhythms of the sea. This tiny, ancient structure, a testament to countless generations of ocean life, became the starting point for a deep dive into material alchemy and unseen forces.
Through a process that merges digital scanning, layered mould-making, and traditional glass casting, the natural form is translated into angular, geometric structures. Glass, born from the same elemental matter as marine shells, becomes a record of time and transformation, speaking of resilience and fragility.
The work explores how new technologies and traditional craft can intersect to reveal hidden patterns, layered histories, and the shifting chemistry of our oceans.
Artist Note
This work began with a fragment from the sea: a worm shell, intricate and patterned. I was drawn to its beauty and resilience, and curious about how glass, made from the same elemental materials as marine life, could capture its essence. Using a combination of digital scanning and traditional casting, I explored how technology and craft might work together to reveal hidden patterns and create new forms.
Growing up in Thurso, on Scotland’s northern edge, I’ve always felt a strong pull to the ocean. That connection runs through my practice, from diving and fieldwork to drawing, film, and glass. With Shifting States, I wanted to invite reflection on our interdependence with marine life, and on the delicate balance now being unsettled by a changing climate. With thanks to Edinburgh College of Art and to artist Geoffrey Mann for his support and teaching during the development of this work