Diane Rowlinson and Artigiano Glass
I was born in Manchester and moved to the Lake District in 1976.
I have always had an interest in art as my mother was multi-talented: a textile spinner and weaver, potter and chinese watercolour artist among her many skills. My father turned wood as a hobby.
It has been a long process of discovery, but when I started fusing glass, I knew I could create studio pieces. My skills are a legacy from my parents, especially my mother. The early work was to copy what I could see but as I moved on, so my designs have developed into a more imaginative style. Abstract design promotes speculation and I enjoy the fact that this art form is interpreted differently by viewers.
Iridescent glass is my favourite. The artists William de Morgan and Robert Bevan are my role models and inspiration.
As a member of the Art and Craft Guild of Lancashire, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to show and sell at the Howarth Art Gallery alongside the Tiffany collection. Since that time I have been invited to provide glass to support an exhibition of Albert Irvin RA works. I am delighted to be supplying glassware to The Old Stamp House Restaurant, Ambleside for the Cumbria Chef of the Year, Ryan Blackburn. Also trophies for The Irish Ballooning Club & I am a regular exhibitor at Gallery 23, Arteria, Lancaster & Art in the Garden, Clitheroe.
Brought up in a city environment, moving to Cumbria made me more aware of the changes and mood within our landscape. The ever changing weather, and in particular the light, has such a direct impact on the vibrancy of colours. The mood created by sunset on hills, of sheer slate disappearing into lakes and the effect of wind on water are inspirational to me. Walking my dogs alongside the River Lune at Kirkby Lonsdale on a sunny day, watching the water ripple over stones on the river bed fascinated me.
Life would be poorer without the Cumbrian natural environment and its flora and fauna. These provide me with a never-ending stimulus for design and colour. I continually strive to recreate the beauty of nature, light and glass becoming equal partners in my work.