photo credit:Ursula Boehmer
Born Teeside Lives Edinburgh, Scotland
karen.akester@hotmail.com
instagram: @karen.akester
Gallery representation
Caa Contemporary Applied Arts, London.
Education
2001-2002 Mdes Master of Glass Design, Edinburgh College of Art.
1990-1993 BA(hons) Glass Design, Edinburgh College of Art.
1988-1990 HND Information Design, Cumbria College of Art.
karen.akester@hotmail.com
instagram: @karen.akester
Gallery representation
Caa Contemporary Applied Arts, London.
Education
2001-2002 Mdes Master of Glass Design, Edinburgh College of Art.
1990-1993 BA(hons) Glass Design, Edinburgh College of Art.
1988-1990 HND Information Design, Cumbria College of Art.
Teaching & Professional experience
North Lands Creative Glass Lybster Caithness, Skills class 'Narrative Sculpture' pate de verre & print 2018
North Lands Creative Glass Lybster Caithness, Skills class 'Narrative Sculpture' pate de verre & print 2016
Bild-Werk Frauenau Germany, Summer Academy workshop teaching cast glass & pate de verre 2015
Bild-Werk Frauenau Germany, Spring Academy workshop teaching cast glass & pate de verre 2014
Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop teaching glass casting & pate de verre 2015 (inc;2014;2011;2010)
Edinburgh College of Art-Edinburgh University 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-Edinburgh University Glass dpt (Artist in residence) workshops teaching kilnformed glass 2004-2009
Powderhall Bronze Edinburgh, private glass casting commissions 2007
Langham Glass Cambridge, assistant glassmaker in commercial glass factory open to the public, 1995-1996
Damp Dog Cards Ltd sole proprietor card designs, outlets inc.Paperchase flagship store, Conran Shop London, 1996-1998
Artist Residencies
Edinburgh College of Art-Edinburgh University, AiR Glass department , Scotland UK 2016-17
Scottish Sculpture Workshop, AiR-Emerging Artist in Residence, Lumsden Aberdeenshire, Scotland UK 2012.
Scottish Sculpture Workshop, residency funded by Creative Scotland and Craft Makers Award, Scotland UK 2011.
Edinburgh College of Art-Edinburgh University, AiR Glass department, Scotland UK 2004-2009.
North Lands Creative Glass Gulbenkian Kiln forming residency, Lybster Caithness, Scotland UK 2006.
Wheaton Arts CGCA Fellowship Summer Resident Artist, Creative Glass Center of America, Millville NJ USA 2003.
Public Collections
The National Museum of Scotland, Dan Klein & Alan J.Poole (Private Collection) Edinburgh Scotland UK.
North Lands Creative Glass, Lybster Caithness, Scotland UK.
Bullseye Gallery, Portland Oregon USA.
Wheaton Arts, Creative Glass Center of America, Millville NJ, USA.
Selected Group Exhibitions
2018 Doubtfire Gallery, Edinburgh
'Colour Theory' caa Contemporary Applied Art, Southwark London
2017 Leap of Faith, North Lands Creative, Lybster Caithness.
RSA Open Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh.
2016 Elemental:Scottish Glass Society, North Lands Creative Gallery, Lybster & Coburg House Edinburgh.
Febfest Arts Festival POD Gallery at Bishop Auckland, County Durham THE SOMME.
RSA Open (inc.2015;14;13) Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound Edinburgh.
VAS:Converge (inc.2011;10;08;05) Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound Edinburgh.
2015 British Glass Biennale (inc.2008;06;04) International Festival of Glass, Stourbridge.
Gallery TEN Glass 2015, International Festival Exhibiton Edinburgh.
2014 Coburger Glaspreis for Contemporary Glass, European Museum of Modern Glass Rodental, Germany.
International Art Glass exhibition, Zwiesel Germany.
2013 'Focus Artist'- CAA Contemporary Applied Arts London.
SSA Scottish Society of Artist at the National Galleries, the Mound Edinburgh.
2012 AAF-Affordable Art Fair Hampstead, London-represented by the View Gallery Bristol.
AAF-Affordable Art Fair Melbourne, Australia-represented by Coates and Scarry.
Unnatural Natural History RWA-Royal West of England Academy Bristol, curated by Coates & Scarry.
2011 A Passion for Glass NMS-National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, Dan Klein & Alan J Poole.
Winter Exhibition Scottish Sculpture Workshop, Lumsden Aberdeenshire Scotland.
Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft show PMA In association with Craft Scotland, Philadelphia USA.
Modern Fabulists View Art Gallery Bristol, curated by Coates & Scarry.
2010 SOFA Chicago Festival Hall Navy Pier, Chicago USA, represented by Bullseye Gallery.
COLLECT Saatchi Gallery London, represented by Bullseye Gallery USA.
Remarkable Glass Contemporary Applied Arts, London in association with Contemporary Glass Society.
Migrate'09 30 years of Scottish Glass Broadfield House Glass Museum Stourbridge, curated by Dan Klein & the Scottish
Glass Society.
2009 Migrate'09 30 years of Scottish Glass Inverness Museum ,Iona Gallery Kingussie, St.Fergus Gallery Wick.
Modern & Contemporary Glass Auction Bonhams New Bond Street London curated by Dan Klein.
2008 Gifted National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.
Northern Lights Gordon Brown Gallery in assoc. North Lands Creative Glass & Dan Klein.
Glass Now Liberty Museum (inc.2006), Philadelphia USA.
2007 Side by Side, Bovey Tracey Devon curated by the Devon Guild of Craftsmen and the CGS Contemporary Glass Society
2006 Magical Christmas Bilston Craft Gallery, Wolverhampton.
2005 Glass Sellers Prize (shortlisted artists exhibition) Glasshouse Gallery, Leathermarket London.
2004 British Glass Inspiration *selected works from British Glass Bienalle;Burgdorf, Switzerland.
Awards & Nominations
2014 RSA Ottillie Helen Wallace Prize for a female sculptor of any age for 'High Plain Drifter's' at RSA Open Edinburgh.
2013 Ramsay Cornish Prize for 'Casca Whispers' presented by Scottish Society of Artists @Royal Scottish Academy, RSA.
2011 Creative Scotland QPA
2011 Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop Members Fund
2011;2007 EVAAC Edinburgh Visual Arts & Crafts Award Scheme (previously Craft Makers Award)
2009;2003 Professional Development Award, Scottish Arts Council
2008 Hope Scott Trust funding
2007;2006 Scottish Arts Council/National Lottery Funding
2006 Bullseye Glass
2006 Arts Foundation Prize , nominated for the Glass category (by Ray Flavell).
2005 Glass Sellers Prize shortlisted artist for 'Unsuitable Behaviour'.
2002 Hedley Trust funding for Master of Design studies in Glass at Edinburgh College of Art.
Commissions
2016 SOMME:Remembrance and Expression Febfest/Daisy Arts & Arts Council England to make new work for a
group exhibition in Bishop Auckland.
2014 The Martyn Bennett Award (for traditional music composition) commissioned by The Queen's Hall Edinburgh
2013 The Martyn Bennett Award (for traditional music composition) commissioned by The Queen's Hall Edinburgh.
2010 Beltane-Beacon for Public Engagement Royal Society of Edinburgh; design and produce awards in glass.
2010 Hall of Fame Award Scottish National Rugby Edinburgh College of Art-Edinburgh University; design and
produce glass prototype for award.
2008 Principals medals Edinburgh University: design and produce awards in glass.
2007 Centenary Awards Edinburgh College of Art-Edinburgh University: replicate in glass a series of awards
for HRH The Prince of Wales, Harry Benson photo-journalist & Stewart Parvin, Fashion designer to the Queen.
2006 Gorbals Community Art Project re-produce artists designs in glass for public sculpture in Glasgow.
Publications
2015 A Passion for Glass:The Dan Klein & Alan J.Poole private collection by Rose Watban (hardcover publication)
2015 British Glass Biennale (hardcover publication inc.2008;06;04)
2013 Tribe 20/SEPT 2013. http://issuu.com/markdoyle/docs/tribe_issue_20
2012 Craft Arts International no:84 Jennifer Hawkins Opie
2010 Craft Arts International no:80
2010 Craft Arts International no:77
2010 CGS Contemporary Glass Society
2009 Neues Glass fall 2009 (3/09), selected entry Jutta Cluny-Franz award.
2009 Contemporary Kiln Formed Glass A world survey by Keith Cummings (hardcover publication).
2009 Bonhams Modern and Contemporary Glass
2008 Neues Glass winter 2006 (04/06)
articles;blogs; links
SGS Scottish Glass Society Jan 2016
Tribe International Creative Arts magazine 20/Sept 2013 http://issuu.com/markdoyle/docs/tribe_issue_20
Northings 2009 http://northings.com/2009/06/01/scottish-glass-society/
Artsmart 2011 http://www.artsmarttalk.com/3/post/2011/11/high-art-from-the-highlands-scottish-artists-at-the- pma-craft-show.html
Blethering crafts Oct 2010) http://www.bletheringcrafts.co.uk
Wheaton Arts Creative Glass Center of America 2003. http://www.wheatonarts.org/creativeglasscenteramerica/criticresidency/robinrice/akesterkaren
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| preview_of_reflections_on_a_passion__herald_scotland.pdf |
| high_art_from_the_highlands_-_scottish_artists_at_the_pma_craft_show_-_artsmarttalk.com.webarchive |
| tall_tales_in_topiary_by_karen_akester_emerging_artist_residency_2012__scottishsculptureworkshop.webarchive |
*Thank you to the following organisation's for their generous support;
