contact information
email: emilyjanewillis@googlemail.com
Artist’s Statement
Born and raised in a village in Lincolnshire, I have always enjoyed being outdoors and living in the countryside. Travelling has also been a major influence for me. The chance to explore different countries and lifestyles has been a great experience. Spending the summer of 2006 in South East Asia, specifically Vietnam and Cambodia, had a huge impact on me; especially seeing the effect of tourism on the natural environment.
To date my work has most often been based on my enjoyment and appreciation of this natural environment. This was originally influenced by my childhood visits to the family farm, and growing up in the countryside. Since then I have based much of my glass work on natural organic objects, and my experiences in the outdoors.
My Final year Project has been inspired by my visit to Vietnam, and my observations of the impact of people, especially tourism on the environment. I was especially aware of the destruction of incredible natural locations by pollution. This is because of an increase of tourism to an area with no infrastructure set up to deal with the effects brought on by this.
Through researching this I have started to look at our consumer society we live in, and explore what I throw away. With my work I would like to show how we as humans impact on nature through our waste.
This work has been explored through the use of glass in kiln casting. In the last three years I have been developing my skills in this area, particularly the lost wax casting process. I find this method the most stimulating and satisfying to work with.
To create my degree show I have utilised mass produced waste objects, and uniquely manipulated each piece by hand. These objects have then been kiln cast in lead crystal glass, to create a series which explores the shapes and textures formed in rubbish when it is crumpled up and thrown away.
Through this development process the objects have changed from ‘throw away’ products recognisable through their packaging and colouring, to become art forms. The use of clear glass throughout the series has removed the identity of the product and allowed the form and shape to become more important than the original consumer product. By casting these disposable items in lead crystal, and exhibiting them in a gallery environment, I wish to show the significance of these objects, and the ever increasing importance of the environmental issues that surround them.
Born and raised in a village in Lincolnshire, I have always enjoyed being outdoors and living in the countryside. Travelling has also been a major influence for me. The chance to explore different countries and lifestyles has been a great experience. Spending the summer of 2006 in South East Asia, specifically Vietnam and Cambodia, had a huge impact on me; especially seeing the effect of tourism on the natural environment.
To date my work has most often been based on my enjoyment and appreciation of this natural environment. This was originally influenced by my childhood visits to the family farm, and growing up in the countryside. Since then I have based much of my glass work on natural organic objects, and my experiences in the outdoors.
My Final year Project has been inspired by my visit to Vietnam, and my observations of the impact of people, especially tourism on the environment. I was especially aware of the destruction of incredible natural locations by pollution. This is because of an increase of tourism to an area with no infrastructure set up to deal with the effects brought on by this.
Through researching this I have started to look at our consumer society we live in, and explore what I throw away. With my work I would like to show how we as humans impact on nature through our waste.
This work has been explored through the use of glass in kiln casting. In the last three years I have been developing my skills in this area, particularly the lost wax casting process. I find this method the most stimulating and satisfying to work with.
To create my degree show I have utilised mass produced waste objects, and uniquely manipulated each piece by hand. These objects have then been kiln cast in lead crystal glass, to create a series which explores the shapes and textures formed in rubbish when it is crumpled up and thrown away.
Through this development process the objects have changed from ‘throw away’ products recognisable through their packaging and colouring, to become art forms. The use of clear glass throughout the series has removed the identity of the product and allowed the form and shape to become more important than the original consumer product. By casting these disposable items in lead crystal, and exhibiting them in a gallery environment, I wish to show the significance of these objects, and the ever increasing importance of the environmental issues that surround them.
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