
I hope people in the UK can start to understand what we’re losing in terms of craft, heritage, history, skills and contemporary practice without publicly funded institutions for glass making. A lot of artist there make their work by doing projects with different institutions. Glassblowing needs a lot of discipline so I can see how it might change your perspective or your emotional state. One thing I learned is how many institutions they have dedicated to glass – a lot of them with charitable status, so people from underprivileged or challenging backgrounds can go and learn the craft. The American studio glass scene is much bigger than the UK’s. I’m hoping to use those to make work for an exhibition I have planned at the Habatat Galleries in Detroit, the flagship glass gallery in the US. People over here think it’s amazing that someone from the UK has won a US-based show.Īs the winner of Blown Away, I was awarded a residency at the Corning Museum, which I’m hoping to do in the autumn, as well as another at the Pittsburgh glass centre. Elliot Walker is one of the UKs finest glass artists and in his relatively short glass blowing career, has already become one of the most active and. We actually filmed it a year ago, so I’ve had to keep shtum since then, but the past week has been crazy and I’ve had lots of support. Here, the norm is left behind so that conversations about right and wrong can take priority instead.Crafts magazine: How does it feel to have won Blown Away, and what happens next?Įlliot Walker: It’s still sinking in.

Katherine seemed determined not to like her piece. Apart from his promised artist residency at the Corning Museum of Glass, Elliot is apparently also a part of a group called Bandits of Glass, where the process of creation is given more importance than the final piece itself. BUTTTT if were going off of JUST the last challenge, Cat had it in the bag.
#BLOWN AWAY SEASON 2 ELLIOT HOW TO#
Therefore, it is no surprise that he is in demand for lectures and seminars to teach other artisans how to master the craft as well. He worked for glass-blowing legend Peter Layton for about eight years as a part of his London studio team, so he has more than enough experience to do so.Įlliot utilizes molten glass in such a way that he produces creations that have not only a luminous quality but also an eggshell delicacy, the way that it is supposed to be. “It showed me,” he said, “how welcoming and inspiring the global fraternity of furnace glass workers is.” Based in Hertfordshire, where he has his own space to work in with his sidekick Bethany (owner of Blowfish Glass), Elliot now facilitates a number of creations for several noted designers and artists. Where Is Elliot Walker Now?įor Elliot, getting to know his fellow contestants on ‘Blown Away’ and watching them work is what made his trip away from home worthwhile. Even Elliot’s installation for the finale, where he had to showcase who he is as an artist, revolved around this same concept.

Thus, not did Elliot get selected for the series, he ended up winning it – simply by overcoming his insecurities and letting his talent do the talking. However, even though he was reluctant to apply, his friends and family, especially Bethany Wood, his glass assistant and studio partner, pushed him to do his best. His primary medium is molten glass, and according to his bio, he developed his basic skills and necessary foundations as a creator by studying glass-making in the Stourbridge Glass Quarter, a historic place that has been associated with the glass industry for more than 400 years.Īccording to his Instagram profile, landing a spot on ‘Blown Away’ was not something that Elliot had ever dreamed of, especially as he is not really a competitive person. Touted as one of the United Kingdom’s finest rising glass stars, he is someone who has, in his 12 years of experience, become one of the most active and inspiring artists of his generation. Elliot Walker is a British Sculptor and Maker who discovered the world of glass art after graduating from Bangor University in Wales with a degree in psychology.
