GEORGE WILLIAM BELL
George William Bell’s work is predominantly concerned with highlighting and exploring the nuanced moments where the material glass expresses its innate qualities. Working with processes of constructing and deconstructing line and form, he has moved into uncharted territory in search for the balance between the skill of the artisanal will and the self governing expressions of materiality. At the core of his exploration lies the idea that man's understanding of the world originates from its material dimensions. Combining techniques of glass making in a non-traditional format George William Bell’s works strike the observer as fragments of a story, forms presented through a prism that distorts but also focuses on a material reality beyond human presence.
"Working with glass feels as though I am sculpting and giving form to light, producing lenses and layers for light to flow through. There is no action that can be made with hot glass that doesn't leave a clear and lasting impact on the surface, form and pattern of the object. As such, a finished piece can almost be read as if the maker’s tools were still upon it."
Education:
2017-Present: MA Ceramics and Glass, Royal Danish Academy of Fine Art
2014-2017: BA(Honours) Glass, Royal Danish School of Fine Art, Bornholm, Denmark
2004-2007 BA(Honours) 3D Design (Ceramics) Bath Spa University, Bath, United Kingdom
Awards:
Shortlisted: European Award for Applied Arts 2018, Mons, Belgium, 2018
Shortlisted: Milano Vetro, Milan, Italy, 2018
Selected “Talent” at Ambiente Design Fair, Frankfurt, Germany, 2017
Second Prize: Stanislav Libensky Award 2017, Prague, Czech Republic , 2017
Scholarship Pilchuck Glass School- Michiko Sakano: Clients, Crafts and Calipers, 2016
Residency’s:
2018- Novotny Glass, Novy Bor, Czech Rupublic
2012- Kitengela Hot Glass-Kitengela. Kenya, Gaffer, provided training and product development for the glassmaking team.
Masterclasses
Michiko Sakano: Clients, Crafts and Calipers, Pilchuck Glass School, 2016
Jay Macdonell, KADK, Nexø, Bornholm, 2015
Jack Wax, KADK, Nexø, Bornholm, 2015
Tobias Møhl, KADK, Nexø, Bornholm, 2015
Assistant to Davide Salvadore, Masters behind Glass, demo series: Österlens Glashytta och hantverkare AB, Brösarp, Sweden 2015
Martin Janecky, Sculpting inside the Bubble, The Glass Hub, UK. 2014
Publications:
New Glass Review 2019
FORM. Magazine for Nordic Architecture & Design, February 2019
A quiet day, The Chronicle of Nordic Vision, Future, October 2018 Bornholmer Bladet, To think through Design, November 2018
Hole & Corner, August 2018
New Glass, Art & Architecture, January 2018
Wohnrevue, Design & Architecture, June 2018
Kulturio, October 2017
Glass Is More, October 2017
DesignMag, September 2017
Czech Design, September 2017
Glass Is Tomorrow, May 2015
Selected Exhibitions (Museums/Galleries) :
2019. New Glass Now, Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York
2019. Ung Svensk Form, ArkDes: Swedish Centre for Architecture and Design, Stockholm
2018. European Award for Applied Arts, Mons, Belgium.
2018. Milano Vetro, 35 Competition, Milan, Italy.
2017. Stanislav Libensky Award, DOX Center, Prague, Czech Republic.
2017. “Elements” Group Exhibition, Ebeltoft Glass Museum, Ebeltoft, Denmark.
2017. Tent London (LDN Design Festival), as part of KADK stand, London, UK
2017. Group Exhibition, Bornholms Kunst Museum, Bornholm, Denmark
2017. Bruntnell and Astley Gallery, Group show (part of British Biennale) Whitecone Glass Museum, Stourbridge, UK
2017. Svanekegaarden, Open Call Exhibition, Svaneke, Bornholm, DK
2016. "Masters behind Glass", Group Exhibition, Österlens Glashytta och hantverkare AB, Brösarp, Sweden
2016. “Pop up exhibition” Glasmuseet, Ebeltoft, Denmark.2016. Student Exhibition, Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY, U.S.A
2015. "Masters behind Glass", Group Exhibition, Österlens Glashytta och hantverkare AB, Brösarp, Sweden
2015. Glass is Tomorrow, Group Exhibition, Royal College of Art, Battersea Building, London, G.B.
2015. Glass is Tomorrow, Group Exhibition, National Museum, Stockholm Sweden.