I worked on residential commissions initially. Workshops with American designer Ed Carpenter and German glass artists Johannes Schreiter and Jochem Poensgen in the 80s made me look closer at my designs architecturally, and soon my commissions also extended to large-scale public buildings. At this stage I often liased with architects. My first public commission in New Zealand was for the Whangarei civic centre (Forum North) and soon after, Auckland University, Hamilton City Council, Auckland District Court and the Aotea Centre in Auckland. Commissions also included churches and corporate headquarters.

For four years during this time and until I left New Zealand for Asia, I also taught glass design at the, then, Carrington Polytechnic Craft Design School in Auckland (now known as Unitec).

From 1991 to 1997 I lived in Malaysia and Vietnam where I painted, designed textiles and taught English. Due to a total lack of this tradition in Asia, glass was not an option, and it gave me the time and distance I needed to reconsider my 20-plus year relationship with glass while working in other media.

Back in New Zealand, I’m still taking a new look at this versatile medium. I am still interested in glass in its architectural context and continue with commissions, but I am also finding a new intimacy with it. This has sometimes taken me into the realm of galleries and exhibitions, into small personal works - even tiny ones, a vast change from my 150sqm District Court window.

Early designs made use of the dark, graphic line of the lead, then progressed to the detail of glass paint/silverstain, the sensitivity and subtlety of etching and sandblasting and, presently, to the surprises that layered glass gives.

My ideas for architectural stained glass start with the space and light, the materials, patterns and the use of that space, and I liase closely with the client. This method often produces abstract results. My small autonomous pieces are personal statements, often figurative that play with depth and overlap and surprise, which can be moved around, handled and seen in many locations . The two different approaches to my work keep me balanced, one requiring discipline and some restraint, the other allowing experimentation and play.

Being so far from European glass sources, I use locally available float glass in combination with the imported mouthblown glass. Often the latter is “flashed”, with a layer of colour that can be removed with sandblasting or etching leaving a second colour or non-colour beneath it. This allows a huge range of bold, graphic or subtle design options.

Curriculum Vitae

Experience
1998 to present Self-employed stained glass designer. Studio: Devonport, New Zealand

2002 Organiser of two week international glass workshop, Auckland, New Zealand in March 2002 which included exhibition, lectures, studio visits, workshop, catalogue

1996 –1998 Resided in Hanoi, Vietnam. Completed works in ceramics donated to the city of Hanoi, and carpets commissioned by the New Zealand Embassy. Part time EFL teacher for private companies.

1991 – 1996 Resided in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Completed works on paper, textile designs.
EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teacher at the British Council.

1974 - 1991 Self-employed stained glass designer. Studio: Devonport, New Zealand.

1987 – 1991 Glass design tutor, Carrington Polytechnic, Auckland, NZ

1991 Executive Officer on Devonport Arts Festival Committee, Auckland, NZ

1980 –1986 Executive Officer for “The New Zealand Society of Artists in Glass, Inc.” Auckland, NZ

Education
1993 Obtained the C.T.E.F.L.A Certificate, RSA/Cambridge (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) from The British Council, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

1974 - 1991 Organised through NZSAG and participated in several international glass workshops, both in New Zealand and overseas, including those with Ed Carpenter, USA, Johannes Schreiter, Germany, Jochem Poensgen, Germany, Klaus Zimmer, Australia.

1968 - 1970 Graduated from University of California at Berkeley, B.F.A.

1966 - 1968 Boston University, Boston, Mass. U.S.A.

1965 - 1966 University of Caen, France

Commissions
1974 – present Public and private windows throughout New Zealand. Also in North America and Europe.

1997 A series of seven ceramic sculptures commissioned by and donated to the city of Hanoi after participation in the First International Sculpture Symposium, Hanoi, Vietnam. Hosted by the Hanoi Fine Arts University.

1997 Two woolen carpets (3m x 5m) designed for the function room in the New Zealand Embassy, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Carpets designed for private customers in New York and Washington, USA

1981 – 1990 Architectural stained glass commissions for public and private buildings in New Zealand. They include:

The Aotea Centre Glass Wall 50sqm, Auckland, NZ
Auckland District Court Entry Canopies 150sqm
Auckland Harbour Board Building Interior Screen, 12sqm, Auckland NZ
University of Auckland, Art/Commerce Building 140sqm, Auckland NZ
Hamilton City Council, Main Entry Window 45sqm, Hamilton, Auckland NZ
Summit Holdings Ltd., Interior Screen 6.5sqm, Auckland NZ
St. Oswald’s Anglican Church, East Window 10sqm, Auckland NZ
Forum North Civic Centre, Interior Screen 6.5sqm, Whangarei NZ

Achievements
2004 Recipient of Creative New Zealand Grant to participate in International Glass Workshop and Exhibition in Toronto, Canada

2001 Recipient of Creative Community Grant, New Zealand

1991 Recipient of QEII Arts Council Grant for International Workshop in Wales

1988 Inclusion in “Index of NZ Craft Workers”, a list of top NZ Craftspeople

1984 Recipient of QEII Arts Council Grant for Workshop in Germany with Jochem Poensgen, the First Architectural Stained Glass Seminar, Kevelaer, Germany

Exhibitions (Group Shows)

2008/2009 :"Gathering Light - Capter La Lumiere", Centre International du Vitrail, Chartres, France

2008 "Gathering Light", Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Liverpool, England

2006 "Spirit Journeys", Glass Artists' Gallery, Sydney, Australia

2006 Members Exhibition, NZSAG, Art Station, Auckland

2005 Chester Nealie & Friends, Ron Sang Gallery, Auckland

2004 Len Castle, with Holly Sanford and Michael Smithers, Ron Sang Gallery

2004 "Member's summer exhibition", Northart Community Art Centre, Northcote, NZ

2004 “A Sense of Place”, Material Matters Gallery, Toronto, Canada

2003 “Reflections–A celebration of glass art”, Mairangi Art Centre, Mairangi Bay, NZ

2003 “Timespan”, Statements Gallery, Napier, NZ

2002 “Glass with Altitude”, The Lane Gallery, Auckland, NZ

2001 “Light and Sound/Glass and Music”, The Depot Art Space, Devonport, NZ

2001 “Devonport Arts Festival Exhibition”, The Flagstaff Gallery, Devonport, NZ

2000 “Foothills Internationale – International Women’s Contemporary Stained Glass”, Golden, Colorado, USA

1997 “The International Sculpture Symposium”, Hanoi, Vietnam

1991 “Ice in Our Luggage”, Swansea, Wales

1991 “Glass Art in Architecture”, Gallery Derix, Taunusstein, Germany

1989 “36 Women from 12 Countries”, Berlin, Germany, Chartre, France, Cologne, Germany

1988 “United Building Society Crafts Awards”, Bishop Suter Art Gallery, Nelson NZ Merit Award

1988 “36 Women from 12 Countries”, Bremen and Dusseldorf, Germany

1984 “New Zealand and Australian Glass”, Darmstadt, Germany, Romont, Switzerland and Chartre, France

1984 “Glass 84”, Tokyo, Japan

Television
2002 Breakfast, TVNZ, with Cat Grant
1989 Top Half, TVNZ, "Aotea Glass"
1986 "Working Glass", TV1, produced & directed by Elizabeth DiFiore

Publications
2009 "New Glass", Issue 01/09, Front Cover
2008 Capter la Lumiere/Gathering Light, Centre International du Vitrail, Imprimerie Clerc, Saint-Amand-Montrond, France, pgs 100-107 ISBN: 978-2-84080-182-5
2008 "Glashaus", Issue 2/2008, pg 28
2005 Stained & Art Glass, A Unique History of Glass Design and Making, by Judith Neiswander and Caroline Swash, The Intelligent Layman Publishers Ltd. 2005, pgs 534,536,538
2000 “This Side Up”, (Holland)
1992 New Zealand Who’s Who, Aotearoa Ltd.
1991 “Stained Glass”, (UK) Autumn
1991 “Craft New Zealand”, Issue 38, Summer
1990 “Craft New Zealand”, Issue 33, Spring
1990 “New Zealand Home and Building”, Feb./Mar.
1989 “Professional Stained Glass”, (USA), Nov
1989 Contemporary Stained Glass, by Andrew Moor, Mitchell Beazley International, Ltd
1988 “Stained Glass Quarterly”, (USA), Winter
1986 “New Zealand Home and Building”, Aug/Sept
1985 “Kunst und Kirche, Licht und Glas”, 3/5
1985 “Stained Glass”, (USA), Spring
1985 “Crafts New Zealand”, Issue 14, Winter
1985 “Art New Zealand”, Summer
1984 “New Zealand Home and Building”, Aug/Sept
1983 In the Light of the Past, Stained Glass in New Zealand Houses, by J. Phillips and C. Maclean, Oxford University Press

Collections
Derix Studio, Taunusstein, Germany
Hessisches Landes Museum, Darmstadt, Germany
Nishida Museum, Toyama, Japan