photo credit:Ursula Boehmer (SSW)
Karen Akester
Edinburgh, Scotland.
e: karenakester@yahoo.co.uk
Education
. Mdes Master of Glass Design, Edinburgh College of Art 2001-2002.
. BA(hons) Glass Design Edinburgh College of Art 1990-1993.
Professional Experience
. Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, teaching weekend workshops/hothouse sessions in kiln formed glass 2010-2011.
. Edinburgh College of Art Glass department, session tutor teaching kiln formed glass 2009-2010.
. Retro Glass Alloa, visiting artist teaching weekend workshops in cast glass and pate de verre 2009.
. Edinburgh College of Art Glass department (Artist in residence) session workshop teaching kilnformed glass 2004-2009.
. Powderhall Bronze, various glass casting commissions for Powderhall Bronze casting foundry, Edinburgh 2007.
. Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, teaching evening class in kiln formed glass 2005-2007.
. Langham Glass Cambridge, assistant glassmaker within a commercial glass factory, part of a team giving
daily glass making demonstrations to the public, school parties and companies 1995-1996.
Artist Residencies
. Scottish Sculpture Workshop, Lumsden Aberdeenshire, Scotland 2011.
. Artist in residence Edinburgh College of Art Glass department, Scotland UK 2004-2009.
. Gulbenkian Kiln forming residency North Lands Creative Glass, Lybster Caithness, Scotland UK 2006.
. CGCA Fellowship Summer Resident Artist, Wheaton Arts Creative Glass Center of America, Millville NJ USA 2003.
Public/Private Collections
. Dan Klein & Alan J.Poole (Private Collection)@The National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh UK.
. North Lands Creative Glass Centre, Lybster Caithness, Scotland UK.
. CGCA Creative Glass Center of America, Millville NJ, USA.
Selected Group Exhibitions
2012 Affordable Art Fair Melbourne represented by Coates and Scarry.
2011 Winter Exhibition at the Scottish Sculpture Workshop, Lumsden Aberdeenshire Scotland.
2011 Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft show in association with Craft Scotland, Philadelphia USA.
2011 Figurative Expressions online selected exhibition Contemporary Glass Society.
2011 A passion for Glass The private collection of Dan Klein and Alan J Poole, National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.
2011 Modern Fabulists curated by Chippy Coates and Richard Scarry, View Art Gallery Bristol.
2011 VAS Visual Arts Scotland 2011, The Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh.
2010 SOFA Chicago 2010 in association with the Bullseye Gallery at Festival Hall Navy Pier, Chicago, USA.
2010 Remarkable Glass in association with the Contemporary Glass Society and Contemporary Applied Arts, London.
2010 Collect 2010 Bullseye Gallery Portland, Oregon and Bullseye resource center, Santa Fe USA.
2010 Collect 2010 with the Bullseye Gallery @the Saatchi Gallery London.
2010 Migrate'09 30 years of Scottish Glass curated by Dan Klein. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Stourbridge.
2009 Migrate'09 30 years of Scottish Glass, touring exhibition; Iona Gallery Kingussie, St.Fergus Gallery Wick,
Inverness Museum & Art Gallery.
2009 Modern and Contemporary Glass auction by invitation @Bonhams New Bond Street, London.
2008 Gifted National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.
2008 Northern Lights Gordon Brown Gallery in association with North Lands Creative Glass, Tain.
2008 British Glass Biennale-International Festival of Glass, Stourbridge.
2008 Glass Now Liberty Museum, Philadelphia USA.
2008 TGK Glasmess, Vorsicht glas?-Glass handle with care? TGK Glass fair Germany.
2008 Visual Art Scotland, RSA National Gallery Edinburgh UK.
2007 Side by Side Devon Guild of Craftsmen/CGS Contemporary Glass Society, Bovey tracey Devon.
2007 SGS Scottish Glass by selection Lillie Gallery, Glasgow.
2006 Magical Christmas Bilston Craft Gallery, Wolverhampton.
2006 Glass Now Liberty Museum, Philadelphia USA.
2006 British Glass Biennale-International Festival of Glass, Stourbridge.
2005 Glass Sellers Prize Glasshouse Gallery, Leathermarket London.
2004 British Glass Biennale-International festival of Glass Stourbridge.
Awards/Nominations
. Creative Scotland QPA funding towards development of new works in glass and metal for Philadelphia Art Fair 2011.
. Members Fund Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop funding towards development of new work 2011.
. Craft Makers Award Edinburgh funding towards development of new work in metal at SSW, Lumsden 2011.
. Professional Development Award, Scottish Arts Council 2009/2003.
. Hope Scott Trust funding towards research development in printmaking 2008.
. EVAAC Edinburgh Visual Arts and Crafts Award Scheme, funding towards development of new work 2007.
. Scottish Arts Council funding to attend the North Lands Creative Glass conference 2007.
. Bullseye Glass materials funding during the Gulbenkian Kiln forming residency at North Lands Creative Glass 2006.
. Scottish Arts Council and National Lottery funding, the Gulbenkian residency North Lands Creative Glass 2006.
. Nominated for the Arts Foundation (Glass) Prize 2006.
. Shortlisted for the Glass Sellers Prize 2005.
Commissions
2010 Royal Society of Edinburgh & Edinburgh Beltane-Beacon for Public Engagement; design and produce glass awards.
2010 Scottish National Rugby 'Hall of Fame Award'': design and produce glass prototype.
2008 Edinburgh University: design and produce in glass Principals Medals.
2007 Powderhall Bronze: re-produce artworks in glass by the installation artist Peter Liversedge for a travelling exhibition
to Basel Art Fair and Frieze Art Fair, London.
2007 Edinburgh College of Art: replicate in glass a series of Centenary Awards for HRH The Prince of Wales,
Harry Benson Photo-journalist and Stewart Parvin, fashion designer to the Queen.
2006 GAP Gorbals Community Art project: re-produce artists designs in glass for public sculpture in the Gorbals, Glasgow.
Publications
2010 Craft Arts International no:80 Remarkable Glass exhibition review;Collect 2010 review.
2010 Blethering crafts online interview (Oct 2010) http://www.bletheringcrafts.co.uk
2010 CGS Contemporay Glass Society newsletter, Remarkable Glass review by Jennifer Hawkins Opie;Collect 2010 review.
2010 Craft Arts International no:77 Migrate Scottish Glass exhibition review.
2009 Neues Glass fall 2009 (3/09), selected entry Jutta Cuny-Franz award.
2009 Contemporary Kiln Formed Glass A world survey by Keith Cummings (hb).
2009 Modern and Contemporary Glass - Bonhams Auction catalogue.
2008 The Chosen Ones French glass website 'Poleinfo-idverre.net'
2008 British Glass Biennale catalogue (hb).
2006 Neues Glass winter 2006 (04/06), British Glass Biennale article.
2008 British Glass Biennale catalogue(hb).
2004 British Glass Biennale catalogue (hb).
2003 http://www.wheatonarts.org/creativeglasscenteramerica/criticresidency/robinrice/akesterkaren interview with Robin Rice.
. Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, teaching weekend workshops/hothouse sessions in kiln formed glass 2010-2011.
. Edinburgh College of Art Glass department, session tutor teaching kiln formed glass 2009-2010.
. Retro Glass Alloa, visiting artist teaching weekend workshops in cast glass and pate de verre 2009.
. Edinburgh College of Art Glass department (Artist in residence) session workshop teaching kilnformed glass 2004-2009.
. Powderhall Bronze, various glass casting commissions for Powderhall Bronze casting foundry, Edinburgh 2007.
. Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, teaching evening class in kiln formed glass 2005-2007.
. Langham Glass Cambridge, assistant glassmaker within a commercial glass factory, part of a team giving
daily glass making demonstrations to the public, school parties and companies 1995-1996.
Artist Residencies
. Scottish Sculpture Workshop, Lumsden Aberdeenshire, Scotland 2011.
. Artist in residence Edinburgh College of Art Glass department, Scotland UK 2004-2009.
. Gulbenkian Kiln forming residency North Lands Creative Glass, Lybster Caithness, Scotland UK 2006.
. CGCA Fellowship Summer Resident Artist, Wheaton Arts Creative Glass Center of America, Millville NJ USA 2003.
Public/Private Collections
. Dan Klein & Alan J.Poole (Private Collection)@The National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh UK.
. North Lands Creative Glass Centre, Lybster Caithness, Scotland UK.
. CGCA Creative Glass Center of America, Millville NJ, USA.
Selected Group Exhibitions
2012 Affordable Art Fair Melbourne represented by Coates and Scarry.
2011 Winter Exhibition at the Scottish Sculpture Workshop, Lumsden Aberdeenshire Scotland.
2011 Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft show in association with Craft Scotland, Philadelphia USA.
2011 Figurative Expressions online selected exhibition Contemporary Glass Society.
2011 A passion for Glass The private collection of Dan Klein and Alan J Poole, National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.
2011 Modern Fabulists curated by Chippy Coates and Richard Scarry, View Art Gallery Bristol.
2011 VAS Visual Arts Scotland 2011, The Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh.
2010 SOFA Chicago 2010 in association with the Bullseye Gallery at Festival Hall Navy Pier, Chicago, USA.
2010 Remarkable Glass in association with the Contemporary Glass Society and Contemporary Applied Arts, London.
2010 Collect 2010 Bullseye Gallery Portland, Oregon and Bullseye resource center, Santa Fe USA.
2010 Collect 2010 with the Bullseye Gallery @the Saatchi Gallery London.
2010 Migrate'09 30 years of Scottish Glass curated by Dan Klein. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Stourbridge.
2009 Migrate'09 30 years of Scottish Glass, touring exhibition; Iona Gallery Kingussie, St.Fergus Gallery Wick,
Inverness Museum & Art Gallery.
2009 Modern and Contemporary Glass auction by invitation @Bonhams New Bond Street, London.
2008 Gifted National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.
2008 Northern Lights Gordon Brown Gallery in association with North Lands Creative Glass, Tain.
2008 British Glass Biennale-International Festival of Glass, Stourbridge.
2008 Glass Now Liberty Museum, Philadelphia USA.
2008 TGK Glasmess, Vorsicht glas?-Glass handle with care? TGK Glass fair Germany.
2008 Visual Art Scotland, RSA National Gallery Edinburgh UK.
2007 Side by Side Devon Guild of Craftsmen/CGS Contemporary Glass Society, Bovey tracey Devon.
2007 SGS Scottish Glass by selection Lillie Gallery, Glasgow.
2006 Magical Christmas Bilston Craft Gallery, Wolverhampton.
2006 Glass Now Liberty Museum, Philadelphia USA.
2006 British Glass Biennale-International Festival of Glass, Stourbridge.
2005 Glass Sellers Prize Glasshouse Gallery, Leathermarket London.
2004 British Glass Biennale-International festival of Glass Stourbridge.
Awards/Nominations
. Creative Scotland QPA funding towards development of new works in glass and metal for Philadelphia Art Fair 2011.
. Members Fund Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop funding towards development of new work 2011.
. Craft Makers Award Edinburgh funding towards development of new work in metal at SSW, Lumsden 2011.
. Professional Development Award, Scottish Arts Council 2009/2003.
. Hope Scott Trust funding towards research development in printmaking 2008.
. EVAAC Edinburgh Visual Arts and Crafts Award Scheme, funding towards development of new work 2007.
. Scottish Arts Council funding to attend the North Lands Creative Glass conference 2007.
. Bullseye Glass materials funding during the Gulbenkian Kiln forming residency at North Lands Creative Glass 2006.
. Scottish Arts Council and National Lottery funding, the Gulbenkian residency North Lands Creative Glass 2006.
. Nominated for the Arts Foundation (Glass) Prize 2006.
. Shortlisted for the Glass Sellers Prize 2005.
Commissions
2010 Royal Society of Edinburgh & Edinburgh Beltane-Beacon for Public Engagement; design and produce glass awards.
2010 Scottish National Rugby 'Hall of Fame Award'': design and produce glass prototype.
2008 Edinburgh University: design and produce in glass Principals Medals.
2007 Powderhall Bronze: re-produce artworks in glass by the installation artist Peter Liversedge for a travelling exhibition
to Basel Art Fair and Frieze Art Fair, London.
2007 Edinburgh College of Art: replicate in glass a series of Centenary Awards for HRH The Prince of Wales,
Harry Benson Photo-journalist and Stewart Parvin, fashion designer to the Queen.
2006 GAP Gorbals Community Art project: re-produce artists designs in glass for public sculpture in the Gorbals, Glasgow.
Publications
2010 Craft Arts International no:80 Remarkable Glass exhibition review;Collect 2010 review.
2010 Blethering crafts online interview (Oct 2010) http://www.bletheringcrafts.co.uk
2010 CGS Contemporay Glass Society newsletter, Remarkable Glass review by Jennifer Hawkins Opie;Collect 2010 review.
2010 Craft Arts International no:77 Migrate Scottish Glass exhibition review.
2009 Neues Glass fall 2009 (3/09), selected entry Jutta Cuny-Franz award.
2009 Contemporary Kiln Formed Glass A world survey by Keith Cummings (hb).
2009 Modern and Contemporary Glass - Bonhams Auction catalogue.
2008 The Chosen Ones French glass website 'Poleinfo-idverre.net'
2008 British Glass Biennale catalogue (hb).
2006 Neues Glass winter 2006 (04/06), British Glass Biennale article.
2008 British Glass Biennale catalogue(hb).
2004 British Glass Biennale catalogue (hb).
2003 http://www.wheatonarts.org/creativeglasscenteramerica/criticresidency/robinrice/akesterkaren interview with Robin Rice.
