Sara Whale

I am an artist working with the material glass. Through my glasswork I am interested in the fundamental qualities of form, colour and mark-making using an abstract vocabulary combined with the printed image. Much of my work responds two-dimensionally with this material. This is achieved through many techniques some more traditionally associated with stained glass and some newer processes. These can range from sandblasting, acid etching, screen-printing and painting. The glass is quite often layered and depending on the piece and its outcomes can be wall-mounted or seen more traditionally against a window. I also work with box frames where I juxtapose glass and drawing together using a variety of the above techniques. I feel my work has contributed to the development of contemporary glass by pushing the treatment of light and colour and re-considering how and where glass is seen. I produce both individual pieces which are seen and sold through galleries as well as working on site-specific projects and commissions where one has a more specific relationship with the client. . I have just completed a glass commission for the South and East Belfast Trust, where I created a collection of glass panels. Other commissions include a series of glass panels in the Sushi Bar at the Great Eastern Hotel, London as well as Montessori School in Leicestershire where I produce a window piece for their hall and ran a series of workshops for the children. From these commissions I have been adaptable with scale and working with imagery appropriate for each commission. All the commissions have been well received with the commissioners and public involved. This has reflected informatively into my personal work and aspirations.