Did it hurt when you fell from Heaven? - Kerry Collison

Kerry is traditionally trained in stained glass and art foundry practices. Using humour as a vehicle for accessibility, the work explores the intersections of fertility, sex, love, violence, pleasure and pain. These narratives are illustrated through traditional stained glass techniques, lampworking, sacred iconography and hidden symbols. Kerry is intent on bringing stained glass out of the church and into a contemporary art space whilst continuing to reference its original function as a comic book through telling stories of volatile relationships, mischief and anarchy.

Since working at The Glass Hub, Kerry’s exposure to hot glass processes has encouraged a more sculptural approach in constructing panels. Alongside learning to make crown glass roundels in the hotshop, Kerry has begun to ‘lead in’ blown, hot sculpted limbs and appendages made from borosilicate on the torch. Kerry’s lampworking experiments have been supported by the Contemporary Glass Society’s Amanda Moriarty Prize Residency, providing the opportunity to learn fundamental techniques from Laura Quinn. This has allowed Kerry to get back to a much loved relationship with the heat and develop new ways to challenge the boundaries of stained glass.