Contemporary fused glass & lampwork bead artist, specialising in wall art, splashbacks, memorial jewellery & workshops. Based in Sandridge, St Albans

With a passion for glass, attention to detail and a reluctance to back down from a challenge, Sandridge based Heartwood Glass not only creates bespoke handmade fused glass art, splashbacks and memorial jewellery, but following ‘school’ in Murano pushes the boundaries of heat and gravity to control, blend and shape molten glass in a flame.

What started out as outlet for creativity, has progressed through continual development alongside glass masters from around the world, to crafting contemporary glass designs inspired by playing with light, nature and the desire to keep advancing within the glass medium.

Heartwood Glass brings ‘Glassy Love’ to all through individual pieces crafted with love and attention to detail, encouragement to get out and about in Herts and find “HeART Abandonments”, or for those that want to try the medium through face to face, make at home or virtual workshops created to suit all ages.

Nature, colour, texture, light and story-telling all lend themselves as themes for my photography and woven tapestries; imagery to draw the viewer in.
I am a textile artist specializing in woven tapestry. I trained at Central St Martins in London and initially worked in Theatre Design and costume, but for the last thirty years I've been weaving and spinning, and occasional yarn dyeing. My focus for the last twenty years has been on Tapestry as I found it to be such as expressive medium.
I also use a lot of photography to help form my ideas for weaving including macro images that help to suggest textures and abstracts that lend themselves to symbolism. From there I will often do further sketching and painting, or manipulation of the imagery in Photoshop.
Recently I have also found myself weaving imagery relating to social or environmental concerns as I also see tapestry as a means of story-telling and communication.
I am currently a member of the British Tapestry Association, including being on their committee. I am also a member of the Herts Textile Arts group and the National Association of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers.
I give talks and demonstrations to various groups and schools. If you are interesting in a site-specific commission please contact me for further details.

Terry's sculpture has been heavily influenced by materials. Recently, photography has sometimes become a major element in her finished work.

Terry has worked with a group of fellow Hertfordshire graduates since completing a fine art degree course in the 1990's, and has been involved in setting up and administrative work for various visual arts events and organisations in the county.

Her sculpture has been heavily influenced by a mix of materials for standing, plinth and wall based work. However, a move to a more urban environment and less space has had a strong influence on her choice of subject matter and ways of working.

Recently, photography, which has always been a useful tool for exploring her subject matter, has sometimes become the major element in the finished work.

Mary Ann has experimented with different styles and textures, using a palette knife in much of her work and has exhibited in Herts and London.

Mary Ann has experimented with different styles and textures and has been painting for as long as she can remember.
A self-taught artist who has, over the years attended numerous workshops, some by eminent artists themselves, . She has been a contestant in the 2016 Sky Landscape Artist of the Year competition.

She says she is "travelling on an artistic journey that continues on a never ending roller coaster of discovery."

"I am excited by the magic of paint and never cease to be amazed at the level of complexity and versatility just one brushstroke can achieve," she says.

Her home country, the UK, has been inspirational in her artistic development. Recently the red earth of Australia and the azure of the sea have been feeding her endless curiosity for subject matter to put to canvas. Mary Ann has featured in several local art exhibitions on the outskirts of London. Currently, Mary Ann has been experimenting with thick layers of paint laid on with a palette knife, using bold, bright colours, depicting a series of scenes showing everyday people at play or at work, on the beach or among their friends, catching them momentarily in a scene as if through candid camera.

Mary Ann continues to paint with both brush and palette knife. She has also allowed her long-standing fascination with the sea to come through her work, developing a series of colourful coastal scenes, reflecting her fascination with wind-lashed islands such as Hawaii and Fiji, where the sun sets in a bright red-gold glow and the palm trees sway in the tropical breeze. You can almost feel the breeze brushing your face as you take in the bright exotic colours, following humbly in the giant footsteps of the trail left by the likes of Gaugin and Cezanne.

"Colour is the key to my work," she explains. "Without colour life would be a very dull place. I feel my job is to project that colour on to walls in generous, daring quantities, providing an uplifting and happy interlude for the viewer."

Inspired by a love of nature, Heather’s aim as an artist is to engage and intrigue the viewer and draw them into her work. She mindfully explores colour and light in each painting, conscious of how these elements lift the spirit and encourage connection with the subject.
The seasons, water and changing light all provide rich influences on her art. Her paintings are an emotional response to what she sees rather than a facsimile encouraging the viewer to find something different each time they look. She works chiefly in acrylics and acrylic inks which lend themselves to working quickly and expressively with a glorious array of colours.
As well as working as an artist Heather demonstrates her working process to art societies around the UK and has also taught at the JoeDaisy Studio in Reading. She regularly exhibits at Contemporary Art Fairs, The Mardleybury Gallery and various art shows.

Her paintings can be viewed on my website: www.heathermillerpaintings.com. Follow her on instagram at: heathermillerpaintings

I have a real passion for painting the local landscape, the views and vistas in and around Harpenden are my inspiration.

I use bright vivid colour and expressive impasto textures to try and capture the essence of a particular landscape. The Nickey Line, The Avenue of Lime Trees in Rothhamsted Park, The Southdown Ponds and Harpenden Common are my main sources of inspiration. I am fascinated by the changing seasons and how these affect the colours and moods of paintings. My technique and approach to painting has been influenced by a number of artists over the years, I admire Pissarro and Sisley in terms of their compositional themes, along with Henri Mattise and the Fauves with the vivid and exciting use of colour in their palette. I have had a series of exhibitions and one-man shows in London and the home counties, while my work has been exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in London and it is also represented in private collections in the USA, the Far East, South Africa and Europe.

Inspired by colour & light, Alexander’s influence comes from watching the sky and imagining the possibility of colour to use within his oil paintings.
Alexander James Gordon is an artist living and working in Barnet and is a member of the Barnet Artist.
His paintings are abstract landscapes using oils and a palette knife on canvas.
Alexander is inspired by the colour and light found in everyday travels. His main influence comes from watching the sky and imagining the possibility of colour to be used within his artwork. Alexander finds colours from small marks on objects, especially if they are worn or are slightly damaged and will play with these images and thoughts as he creates his work.
As an artist who is inspired by the ever changing sky and its influence on the colour in the world, he is very excited by the change of light which takes place in a very short period of time and the early rises of colour within the day.
Working with a palette knife enables Alexander to leave a visible mark on the canvas, this creates a subtle textural layer to the painting. He is particularly fond of the marks made towards the end of the piece as the layers of paint beneath are revealed.
Alexander is the viewer at the gallery with his nose pressed up against the painting to be drawn in by each and every mark the artist has created.
All of the paintings have the edges painted and so do not need to be framed, they all arrive ready to be hung.
Thank you for taking an interest in Alexander's artwork and we hope you enjoy them as much as he has enjoyed creating them.