Art Group is pleased to announce the appointment of two glass artists, accepted into the Canberra Glassworks fellowship program for 2020. Brenden Scott French (SA) and international artist Carrie Iverson (USA) will follow in the footsteps of local artist, Lisa Cahill – 2019’s fellow.
“This is a very exciting partnership with the Canberra Glassworks and Lisa’s success in 2019 has paved the way for the opportunity to have two artists participate in our program in 2020,” said Art Group Development Manager, Gabe Szivek.
Art Group created the program with the Canberra Glassworks to allow glass artists to be appointed as a fellow of our world-class facilities at the glassworks and provide financial support over a 12-month period.
“Our investment in this program is about supporting art in the Canberra community and ensuring that facilities such as the Canberra Glassworks are activated, vibrant and allow artists to reach their potential.”
“The program is an absolute success which is evident in the whirlwind year Lisa Cahill has had in her role as our 2019 Art Group Fellow. Most notably, Lisa was commissioned to create an original glass art piece, ‘Flow’, in April of this year for the opening of the Tiffany & Co store in Sydney. This is such a testament to the leverage that our program is able to give the art community.”
As 2020 Art Group Fellows, both Brenden and Carrie will be provided with a dedicated studio space, accommodation, a cash stipend of AUD$10,000 each and free access to the facilities and equipment at the Canberra Glassworks.
The purpose of the Art Group Creative Fellowship is to foster a mutually beneficial exchange of ideas and professional practice within the Glassworks and the wider community. In 2020 both Brenden and Carrie will work from a dedicated studio space at the Canberra Glassworks where they will research and develop these complex processes while also working with the glass community as mentors.
Brenden will be in residence from January to end of June 2020.
Brenden Scott French is recognised as one of Australia’s most innovative artists working in glass. Throughout twenty years of professional practice his artistic output has relied heavily on the application of colour to explore conceptual foundations and a diverse approach to medium and technique. Encompassing a breadth of skill with glass in both glass blowing and kiln forming, the artist creates layered panels composed of blocks of colored glass murine rods and granules of glass. Once fused together in the kiln the works appear almost painterly.
“The impact the Art Group Creative Fellowship will have on my career will be significant. It will provide an inspiring environment to become immersed in creative prosperity and support the development of work underpinned by rigorous scholarship. Also, through multiple media platforms, I will promote and connect to the intellectual dialogue of the broader ACT, national and international creative community,” said Brenden.
Carrie will be in residence from May to end of July 2020
Carrie Iverson is an artist who has been exploring the intersection of glass and printmaking as both an artist and educator for the past fifteen years and plans to conduct in-depth research on the topic during her Fellowship. As part of her studio experiments, Iverson has developed an image transfer for glass process, an innovative technique which uses principles from lithography to create a print composed entirely of sheet glass and glass powder. She has subsequently continued to develop this process in her own work, and to teach it at many studios in the US and around the world.
“This fellowship will allow me to continue this momentum through the creation of a new and focused body of work as well as the invaluable opportunity of connecting with the Australian glass community,” said Carrie.
Art Group look forward to sharing the progress of the 2020 program and thank the Canberra Glassworks for their involvement in the establishment of this invaluable program.