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Christine Milne
Christine Milne began her career as an artist, graduating from Gray's School of Art with a BA in Fine Art. She was subsequently awarded the John Kinross Scholarship to Florence where she focused on landscape painting. After becoming a professional member of Visual Arts Scotland, Christine moved to rural Southwest Scotland and was later introduced to the art of glassblowing. This led to a passion for the medium and the opportunity to build a home and workshop where she could develop her skills as a glass artist.
Maker's Story
Christine Milne began her career as an artist, graduating from Gray's School of Art with a BA in Fine Art. She was subsequently awarded the John Kinross Scholarship to Florence where she focused on landscape painting. After becoming a professional member of Visual Arts Scotland, Christine moved to rural Southwest Scotland and was later introduced to the art of glassblowing. This led to a passion for the medium and the opportunity to build a home and workshop where she could develop her skills as a glass artist.
THE PROCESS
Heating borosilicate glass over a torch, the temperature, air pressure, centrifugal forces and flame itself, work as tools to help shape the glass, right up until the last moment of making. Christine aims to capture some of the spirit and energy of the making process in her distinctive and tactile tableware pieces. She utilises the heat from the rod (1300°C) to create unique, relief patterns on the surface, trailing the rod through glass, like treacle.
Q&A
1. What motivates you to make?
There is a real comfort in sitting down to meals with family or friends. Whether it be a time pressured breakfast, a leisurely evening meal, or larger gatherings with loved ones. These everyday occasions are enhanced when even the most simple meal is presented in a treasured bowl or pot, and the accompanying wine or water is enjoyed in a glass which is a joy to drink from and feels good in the hand.
2. What and/or who are you most inspired or influenced by?
Everyday I see shapes and forms that influence my aesthetic. From plants, seed pods and droplets of water, to classical forms ingrained in my subconscious. The beauty in these are what influence my work and I aim to recreate this beauty in functional everyday objects.
3. What is your unique approach to your craft, and how have you honed your skills?
Borosilicate glass is heated over an oxy propane torch to produce a range of glassware for the table. Working in hot glass is a dance between the maker and a familiar friend. An amazingly dynamic, fluid medium, where gravity constantly pulls on the glass as it passes through the flame. Temperature, air pressure, centrifugal forces and the flame itself work as tools to help shape and form the glass right up to the final burl of the dance. Through this process, I hope that my work captures something of the spirit and energy of its making.
4. What is your defining or proudest moment as a maker so far?
After graduating from Gray’s School of Art with a BA(hons)Fine Art, I was awarded the John Kinross Scholarship to Florence where I continued to paint with a focus on landscapes. Over the next few years I exhibited widely including as an invited artist at the Royal Scottish Academy. My paintings feature in collections at the Italian Institute in Edinburgh, Art in Hospitals and Gracefield Arts Centre. In 2005 I was invited to become a professional member of Visual Arts Scotland. I now work mainly in glass from a small workshop in Southwest Scotland.
5. What is your dream project?
Movement and dance, landscape and light, family and friends greatly influence my daily life as a glass artist living in rural Scotland. The making of my tableware range is a personal joy and my ambition is to expand on this, creating new exciting glasses to adorn the table. Another aspiration is to build upon my experience as a painter and the techniques learned as a glass blower to capture life’s influences in a series of one-off abstract installations, made up of individual components working together to create larger, visually stunning pieces of work.
