Canberra Glassworks Reveals 2023 Artists in Residence

Now in its 16^th year, the Canberra Glassworks Artist in Residence program has announced a new cohort of artists that will gain access to their facilities and further their artmaking practice. Looking to nurture artists from all career levels, the residency aims to aid artists create new works or advance research in glassmaking techniques.

The focus of these residencies is on experimentation within the medium, building skills in all aspects of the craft, and through increasing their critical understanding of the medium produce new suites of works of a high quality. Several facilities will become available through the residency, including all their kilns and studios, the mould-making area, and several technical facilities.

The artists who successfully applied this year include John Brekke, Robert Fielding, Ros Lemoh, Lisa Sammut, Brendan Van Hek, Emily Parsons-Lord, Nicholas Burridge, Ross Manning, Julie Bartholomew, Rose-Mary Faulkner, Jordon Benson and Bronte Cormican-Jones.

Brekke has been named Creative Fellow, providing him with a six-month residency in the Hotshop, a position supported by Art Group.

Fielding, a Western Arrernte and Yankunytjatjara Peoples artist, will be working with all the facilities, closely in contact with Writer in Residence Erin Vink.

Faulkner has been awarded the Canberra Glassworks Mentorship, a position specifically for early career artists, and this year will be working with Harriet Schwarzrock to develop her skills in neon.

Further residencies will be announced as part of Path to Glass, a program for year 11 and 12 students, and the Toyama Glass Exchange Resident.

“We were delighted to see a strong range of applicants for all categories of the program which gives opportunities to highly skilled, emerging and artists who may be skilled in other mediums to work with glass”, stated Artistic Director Aimee Frodsham, who added that “this year we will welcome back our first international artist, John Brekkie from New York, since the Covid restrictions opened”.

The residency program has seen 232 artists immerse themselves within Canberra Glassworks, with the support of Australia Council for the Arts, ArtsACT, ArtGroup and ADFAS Canberra.