About
“I have always been drawn to spending time in the natural world, especially as an immersive experience. Being in the water, standing on the edge of a precipice or being surrounded by nature, steeped in a particular light, as day transitions to dusk, has an effect on me that suffuses into the core of my wellbeing. My location, on the tip of the wild, rugged and rural North Antrim Coast, where I live and work, allows me to feed my habit of collecting and studying aspects of nature and the cycle of life. I explore parallels found between studies of the natural world and human life.”
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Andrea Spencer makes work that is inspired by nature, drawing on natural forms and structures, to create pieces which correlate with aspects of human nature. Often the work deals with the transformation of a natural form (translated into glass) into an unnatural hybrid that shares an embodiment with its source material. This becomes a surreal manifestation of the process of artistic creation, wherein an object transcends its status as a mere construction to become a different order of reality.
“An object that is drawn from the natural world, transformed by a process that evokes both science and craft, becomes a metaphor that carries a multitude of interpretations”
Starting with glass rods and tubes, these are manipulated, blown, cut, stretched and sculpted in the flame. Her work posess qualities that reflect the intricacies of the natural world and usually contains elements that highlight its beauty and transience.
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Her work tends to appeal to those who are drawn to the ephemeral and impossibly delicate. Her practise is a lot about process, often starting with collecting and laying out natural specimens then moving into investigations in glass. In the studio natural objects, manmade creations, drawings and text intertwine and layer up over time, becoming juxtaposed and forming a series of dialogues. This process of collecting and curating develops into temporary installations, groupings and isolated objects to create an environment or an atmosphere.
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Andrea Spencer graduated from Edinburgh College of Art in 1993 with a BA (Hons) in Architectural Glass. Her small-scale sculpture and site-specific installations are concept driven, exploring natural forms to create artworks that carry a personal narrative.
Spencer maintains an emphasis on the unique properties of glass, exploiting the qualities of transparency, fragility and fluidity intrinsic to the material and employs techniques to encapsulate, contain and protect, alongside elements to define, brace, bridge and support.
Andrea’s work is held in significant public and private collections, has been exhibited in the UK, Europe, USA and China and since 2008 and has regularly featured in the British Glass Biennale. Her work has been included in the Corning Museum of Glass’ annual New Glass Review (2010).Awards include QEST scholarship 2022, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland Artist Career Enhancement Scheme Award 2017. Residencies include artist-in-residence at North Lands Creative Glass (Scotland). Teaching includes national and international glass schools such as TheCorning Museum of Glass (USA), Pilchuck Glass School (USA) Bildwerk (Germany) and The Royal College of Art (UK).
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EDUCATION
1990 – 1993 Edinburgh College of Art, Scotland, BA (hons) Architectural Glass
1989 – 1990 Middlesex Polytechnic, London, Foundation Art and Design
1987 – 1989 Stevenage College, Hertfordshire, BTec NDD Constructed Textiles
SELECTED AWARDS
2022 Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust Bursary
Support for the Individual Artist, Arts Council of Northern Ireland
Rural Development Grant, Causeway Coast and Glens Council
First Prize,August Craft Month Showcase exhibition, Craft NI
2020 Craft NI Unlocked ExhibitionPrize Winner
Creative Bursary Causeway Coast and Glens
Covid Emergency fund Arts Council Northern Ireland
2017 Support for the Individual Artist, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, ACES Award
2013 Support for the Individual Artist, Arts Council of Northern Ireland
2012 Art in Action, Contemporary Glass Award, British Glass Biennale
2008 Support for the Individual Artist, Arts Council of Northern Ireland2004 Support for the Individual Artist, Arts Council of Northern Ireland
2003 Support for the Individual Artist, Arts Council of Northern Ireland
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2025
Group Show, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Indiana, USA
2024
Collect Open, Collect Art Fair, Somerset House, London,UK
Planet Earth- An Ode to our Wonderful World, London Glassblowing, UK
The British Glass Biennale, Stourbridge, UK
Brilliant Generations, Craft NI Gallery, Belfast, UK
Royal Ulster Academy 143rd Annual Exhibition, Ulster Museum, Belfast
Festive Masterpieces, London Glassblowing, UK
2023
Ireland Glass Biennale, Coach House Gallery Dublin Castle, EIRE
Uncommon Beauty, Craft in the Bay, Wales, UK
Insight, The Oriel Gallery, Antrim, UK
2022
Collect 22, North Lands Creative,Somerset House, London,UK
Beyond Edges, Ards Arts Centre, Newtownards, NI, UK
Made in Ireland, National DesignCentre , Kilkenny, Ireland
British Glass Biennale, Stourbridge,UK
August Craft Month Showcase, Craft NI Gallery, Belfast UK
2021
Ground Zero 360, George Bush Presidential Library, TX, USA
Beyond Edges, Roe Valley Arts Centre, NI, UK
Made in Ireland, National DesignCentre , Kilkenny, Ireland
2020
Wir, group show, Labor im Chor, Schwäbisch, Germany
Unlocked, Craft NI Gallery Belfast, UK
Royal Ulster Academy 138th Annual Exhibition, Ulster Museum, Belfast
2019
Royal Ulster Academy 137th Annual Exhibition, Ulster Museum, Belfast
The Pilchuck Auction, Seattle, WA, USA
2017
Material Light: Glass, Messums Wiltshire, England
British Glass Biennale, Stourbridge, England
Five Artists Show in a Byre, Ballymena, Northern Ireland2015
Solas, Glass Society of Ireland members show, Ireland
Royal Ulster Academy 134th Annual Exhibition, Ulster Museum, Belfast, Portfolio@Solomon:Glass, Solomon Gallery, Dublin
Fragile and Fugitive States of Being, Solo show, Sunburst Gallery, Newtownards,2014
Vriji Glass Retropespective, Galerie SousTeree, Netherlands
2013
Winners! Vessel Gallery, London
Aesthetica Art Prize 2013, 100 contemporary artists, York St Mary’s, UK Gather, Irish contemporary glass,Shanghai Art Fair, China
New Glass - Ancient Skill, Blackwell Arts and Crafts House, Boness on Windemere,2012
Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition, Ulster Museum, Belfast, Northern Irelan d
British Glass Biennale, Ruskin Mill. Stourbridge, England
Shanghai art fair, Shanghai, ChinaEngaging with Glass, Traver Gallery, Tacoma, WA, USA
Elements, Sheng Ling Gallery, Shanghai, China2011
Engaging with Glass, Solstice Gallery, Navan, Ireland
2010
British Glass Biennale, Ruskin Mill. Stourbridge, England
COLLECTIONS
2024 Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Indiana, USA
2020 Arts Council of Northern Ireland
2012 Gangtai Art Museum of Shanghai Gang Tai Cultural Development Co Ltd.
2008 Arts Council of Northern Ireland
2004 North Lands Creative GlassSELECTED RESIDENCIES
2023 Sea Change, Artlink Fort Dunree and Causeway Coast and Glens
2012 Cill Rialaig, Ballinskelligs, Co.Kerry
2011 Belfry Arts Centre, Overstrand, Norfolk
2010 Belfry Arts Centre, Overstrand, Norfolk
Penland Schol of Crafts, NC, USA
2007 Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Co. Monaghan, Ireland2004 North Lands Creative Glass, Lybster, Scotland
2003 Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Co. Monaghan, Ireland
2001 - 2023 AiR for Arts Care, Belfast and Northern Health and Social care Trust
SELECTED COMMISSIONS AND INSTALLATIONS
2018 Seeds, Lusk National School, Lusk
2017 Landmarks, Omagh Hospital, Omagh.
2016 Ebb and Flow, Northern Ireland Hospice, Belfast
2015 Ebb and Flow, Northern Ireland Hospice, Belfast
2015 CrystalHealing Wall, garden of Reflection, Derry- LondonDerry
2013 Self similar , Architectural glass and bronze, Inner City Trust, Derry- LondonDerry
2012, Irises, suspended sculpture, Glass and metal, New Acute Hospital for the North West, Enniskillen
2012, Meadows, architectural glass, , New Acute Hospital for the North West, Enniskillen
2011 Still blue water,, New Macmillian Palliative Care unit, Antrim Hospital
2011 Waterlillies, New Macmillian Palliative Care unit, Antrim Hospital
2010 Heritage Reflections, sculptural glass installation, Portadown Treatment and Care Centre, Portadown
2009 On the Wing, Northern Ireland Cancer Centre, Belfast
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2025 Ausglass conference, Presentor and Demonstrating Artist
Instructor Pre conference workshop Sea Glass Flame Tasmania
2024 Instructor, Activating Space with Matter and Meaning,The Studio Corning Museum of Glass, USA
Instructor, Glass from Nature, Glass Hub, Wiltshire, UK
Sea Glass and Flame, Benefield Spencer Glass Studio UK
2023 Student Dare to Dream, Corning Museum of Glass, USA
Student Cartoon Realism, Coyle Condenser, Corning Museum of Glass, USA
Instructor, Observation and Making in Place, Benefield Spencer Glass, UK
Instructor, Elements of Place Formed by Fire, Benefield Spencer Glass, UK
Instructor, Glass from Nature, Glass Hub, Wiltshire, UK
Instructor, Flameworking Essentials, Benefield Spencer Glass, UK
2021 Instructor,Seeing through Nature, Bikldwerk, Frauenau, Germany
2020 Instructor, Form to Fuse, Glass Hub, Wiltshire, UK
Bridging Art and Science, Lecmo GAS conference 2020, Sweden
2019 Visiting Artist, Royal College of Art, London, UK
Instructor, Natural Transformations, Pilchuck Glass School, USA
Instructor, Form to Fuse, Glass Hub, Wiltshire, UK
Instructor Liminal Spaces, Ballintoy, Northern Ireland, UK
Instructor, Anatomy and Art, Queen’s University Belfast, UK
2018 Instructor, Form Within, Berlin Glas, Germany
Master class Alan Horsley, Glass and Anatomy, Northlands Creative, Scotland Instructor, Anatomy and Nature, Queen’s University Belfast.2017 Instructor, Glass Hub, Wiltshire
Demonstrating artist, A Leap of Faith, Northlands Creative, Scotland
TA Annie Cattrell Materiality and Meaning, Northlands Creative, Scotland