AOTM September 2010 - Stacy Godfrey

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Stacy Godfrey


I wish I could say I've had always had an affinity with glass or that I was a naturally creative child, forever painting, drawing, making models  or involved in some other artistic pastime, but the truth is whilst at school I was terrible at all those things.

After a career in IT I never found exploring my creative side very natural. I only began my journey once my second child was born and I was at home trying to find something to do.

I guess my story is similar to many others. I bought the kit off eBay, had a play with the hot head, but wasn't very successful learning from books so booked a weekend lampworking course with Beverley Hicklin. She taught me the basics, a few advanced techniques and also introduced me to this forum. Soon after I ordered my oxy-con and minor and went from there.

Although I enjoyed working with the glass I never seemed to feel the spark and excitement that others were feeling. People spoke of affinities with glass and a joy that they couldn't get from anything else. I didn't feel that. I felt constrained using a mandrel and after a time my work started to creep over the end and become more sculptural. It was then that I found borosilicate and I've never looked back.

         
         
Apart from my first lesson with Beverly the only other course I've had was when I had a severe lack of confidence and inspiration in Jan 2009 and I gave it a kick start with a session with Sally Carver.
Although, I've not had any lessons yet specifically aimed at Boro work I did spend some time with Emma Macintosh and am hoping to go for a session with Sean at Off Mandrel in the near future. I'd also love to spend some time with Ian Pearson and learn some basic scientific glasswork as I think this would be a great base to expand my own sculptural skills.



One of my favourite collections by another artist is by an American named Harold Cooney and is called New Hampshire Trade Beads. His use of cold working on the surfaces of his pieces is incredible. Other artists whose work I admire greatly are Kevin O'Grady, Suellen Fowler and the late great Shannon Hill.
Also, I must mention our own Emma Macintosh, not only for her beautiful whimsical style but also her endless patience when I go on and on that my colours aren't right or I can't photograph for toffee!

     
   
I've always found inspiration a difficult thing to define. I did make a series of flowers 'based on' images from the 'Myst' computer games. I guess in that sense I was inspired by the incredible graphics that made me want to be in another land. I don't have a notebook by the side of my bed for ideas to be transcribed during the middle of the night and I very rarely take photographs of items which fill me with ideas, when I have done I can't say that I've ever looked at them again after. I suppose I leave seeds of inspiration at the back of my mind and let them evolve.



If I'd been asked a year ago about my signature style I wouldn't have been able to classify it but more so I would have been upset that I couldn't. A style that people associated with me is something I always strove for and it wasn't until recently that I decided I was fine without one. 
The way I work makes having a singular style quite difficult. The great thing with borosilicate is that there is always something more to learn. Each colour has a unique profile with different viscosities, reactions, flame preferences and that doesn't even include what happens when you mix with another colour or clear. For this reason I find myself experimenting A LOT and there never seems to be the time to do the same thing twice and hence the same style.



There are many techniques which I would love to learn but one which springs to mind has to be working with tubing. Although I'm doing fine with solid rods right now there are certain things that I'm eager to try that simply must be started by pulling a point or blowing a bubble. A skill that has so far eluded me.
Another area I'd love to explore more is cold working. The idea of working for many hours on a single piece just to sandblast and cut into it is very unnerving but I think the thrill of unveiling what's underneath the top layer would out weight the fear of ruining the final piece.
I'm always excited to work on collaborations. I love it when two or more mediums mix and have had the pleasure of working with a few woodworkers in the past. I'm also hoping to start an exciting new project with a leatherworker in the near future.

       

I'm quite a perfectionist at heart and although this is great in some respects when it comes to being happy with my own work it can make things very difficult.
I don't think I have ever produced one piece which I would be truly happy to sell. When I look back on the work I have done in the past and see the progress I have made up to that point I know that the work I do in the future will surpass my best work now. I seem to be perpetually waiting for the day I feel satisfied that the piece I create wouldn't be better if I waited a few weeks or months.
This does make selling my work very difficult. I only want to sell the best of the pieces I produce and knowing that it could be better makes me want to wait until that time. This is definitely something I need to work on!