Alan Ussher
An online gallery of Alan's blown glass -
Alan Ussher works full time creating functional and artistic glassware in his studio at Silver Cloud Studios in South Lismore. He works in a style of glassblowing called Flamworking (otherwise known as Lampworking), and melts borosilicate glass in the flame of a bench torch.
“Glass never ceases to intrigue
and amaze me.
The vibrant colour,
and versatility of the medium
keep me inspired.
The possibilities are endless.”
- Alan Ussher
Alan's artworks range from $10 to $1000,
and can be purchased online from his website
or you can visit him in his studio.
Alan Ussher Glassblowing Studio
14 Foleys Rd
Lismore, N.S.W. 2480
Tel/fax: 0266213294 || Mob: 0439468983
Glass goblets
from Yes Please held in July 2012
- A selection of Alan's handmade glass goblets are now available in our "Rotations" gift shop (August 2012) -
biography
Alan Ussher was born in 1978, and spent his childhood in the bush and around the creeks in the little town of Currabubula NSW. From an early age Alan has had an interest in art and music, and in 2000, was invited to begin lampworking by his late friend Marcel Le Bars at Barkersvale NSW.
Alan was accepted into the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme in 2002 and later sought private tuition with Peter Minson, who comes from a family of scientific glassblowers.
Since that time, Alan has engaged in years of practice and research in contemporary flameworking, which is a style of glassblowing whereby glass tube and rods are melted and manipulated in the flame of a bench torch. (picture page top)
In 2005, Alan began working full time in his studio at Silver Cloud Studios (The Old Chocolate Factory) in Lismore, where he continues to design and refine his skills.
In 2007 Alan was invited to be a part of the annual “Glass on Flame” exhibition at Kirra Gallery in Melbourne, which is an annual exhibition of Australia’s finest lampworkers. Alan participated in a series of public demonstrations there and also attended and demonstrated there in 2008 and 2009. There Alan has demonstrated and exchanged skills alongside other experienced glassblowers such as Christian Arnold, Mark Elliot, Bernie Stoner, Raymond Mifsud, Pauline Delainey, Cas Davey, Richard Clements, Matthew Farrell and Peter Minson.
‘I place a lot of emphasis on creating work that is of high quality.
Many years of practice and research have brought me
to where I am now, though I feel as though I am only
just getting started in this medium.
New designs are continuously emerging,
and I feel very happy to be immersed in such a challenging,
versatile, beautiful and exciting medium.
I have begun turning my attention
toward more sculptural work of late,
and have begun engaging in studies of anatomical forms.’
'Encalmo Perfume'
Alan performs glassblowing demonstrations
on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month at the Lismore
Carboot Market, where he has work for sale & now also
sells work from his studio at Silver Cloud Studios,
14 Foleys Rd, Lismore which is open to the public most afternoons through the week, or by appointment.
Alan builds and maintains his own website (www.alanussher.com)
where he has an online shopping facility
and beautiful images of his past work.
Alan supports himself from his craft
and sells work through art galleries,
retail outlets, market stalls & online.
Some of the things that Alan makes include:
glass pendants, perfume/cologne bottles,
wine glasses, tea pots, contemporary marbles/orbs,
sculpture, hair pins, spinning tops, vessels,
guitar slides and more…
'Wine Glasses'
Borosilicate glass
Art Auction and Exhibition 2010
Curriculum Vitae
Alan Ussher
13 Wotherspoon Street,
Lismore, 2480
NSW
DOB: 7/2/1978
Ph: (02) 66213294
Mob: 0439468983
Email: alussher@yahoo.com
Website: www.alanussher.com
Education
New Enterprise Incentive Scheme & Small Business Management Course 2002 Ballina Business College Ballina
Ba Environmental Science 1998 Southern Cross University Lismore. (Withdrawn)
HSC 1997 Peel Technology High School Tamworth
Development and Training
2009 - Demonstration experience at ‘Glass On Flame’ 2009 exhibition at Kirra gallery.
2008 - Demonstration experience at ‘Glass On Flame’ 2008 exhibition at Kirra gallery.
Soft glass sculpture demonstration by Bernie Stonor.
Beadmaking instruction by Pauline Delaney.
Borosilicate glass demonstrations by Peter Minson - constructing small solid sculptures and a hollow sculpture.
Borosilicate lacework demonstration and instruction by Raymond Mifsud.
Sculpture, Marble and Vessel demonstrations by Chris Arnold.
Construction of a large collaborative piece with many components.
- Melbourne VIC.
2007 - Private Tuition with Peter Minson
Instruction on the construction of scientific apparatus. Butt seals.
Tube join techniques. Introduction to marble making.
- Lismore NSW
- Demonstration experience at ‘Glass On Flame’ 2007 exhibition at Kirra gallery.
Skills exchanged included murine making,
execution of a large collaborative sculptural piece with many components.
Reticello demonstration, marble making and sculpture techniques.
- Melbourne VIC.
2006 - Private Tuition with Peter Minson & ongoing research.
Wine glass shaping and construction.
Bowl shaping, flaring, foot flaring, stem & hollow stem creation and joining
- Lismore NSW.
2005 - Private Tuition with Peter Minson & ongoing research
Technique review and instruction,
hand skills, joins and tube bending
- Lismore NSW.
Began blowing glass professionally
- Lismore NSW.
2003 - Private Tuition with Peter Minson
Scientific and Artistic Glass Blowing Technique - hand skills, basic principles, flame use and characteristics,
colour mixing, fuming, tool use and tool making, bead making, safety, hollow and solid joining techniques,
lace work, tube cutting and other cutting and tearing techniques
- Binalong NSW.
2002 - Participated in the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme & Small Business Management Course
Business skills, Marketing etc
- Ballina NSW.
2001 - Further practice and familiarisation with the medium alongside Marcel Le Bars
- Barkersvale NSW.
2000 - Began lampworking borosilicate glass alongside Marcel Le Bars
- Barkersvale NSW.
Exhibitions
2009 - “Glass On Flame”
Exhibition at Kirra Gallery, Federation Square
Melbourne
"Open Doors"
Group Exhibition at Serpentine Community Gallery
Lismore NSW (July)
2008 - “Presence”
Group Exhibition at Serpentine Community Gallery
Lismore NSW (Dec)
“Let There Be Glass”
Group Exhibition at Gympie Regional Gallery
Gympie QLD (Dec-Jan)
Group Exhibition at Lake Russell Gallery, Emerald Beach
Coffs Harbour NSW (October)
“Glass On Flame”
Kirra Gallery, Federation Square
Melbourne VIC (September)
Group Exhibition at the Northern Rivers Community Gallery,
Ballina NSW (September)
Group Exhibition “One For The Boys” at Art Piece Gallery
Mullumbimby NSW (September)
Group Exhibition at the Northern Rivers Community Gallery,
Ballina NSW (July)
2007 - “Glass On Flame”
Kirra Gallery
Federation Square
Melbourne VIC (September)
“Scarlet”
Serpentine Gallery
Lismore NSW (June)
2006 - “Rainbow Industria”
Serpentine Gallery
Lismore NSW (November)
“Dressing The Windows”
Central Business District
Lismore NSW
“Toy Exhibition”
The Winsome
Lismore NSW
"I've been inspired by Dali, Picasso,
Glass artists past and present,
contemporary glass artists such as Richard Clements, Robert Mickelson and Milon Townsend,
Nature, Symmetry and Symbolism."
- Alan Ussher
SERPENTINE COMMUNITY GALLERY
17 Bridge St, North Lismore, NSW, 2480.
Contact (02) 6621 6845 or serpentineartsgallery@gmail.com