Matthew Curtis

Matthew Curtis born Luton, UK 1964 and arrived Australia 1981. As with many glass artists, he relies on community support, often sharing kilns and technical information with his fellow studio glass makers. Over the past decade Curtis has held solo and group exhibitions in Australia, Zurich, Hungary, Canada, Switzerland, Germany and the United States of America. Curtis was the only glass artist to be represented & selected as a finalist in the 2003 National Sculpture Prize at the National Gallery of Australia. Matthew Curtis’ glass work is represented in several public, corporate and private collections including, the Australian Art Trust; National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; Wagga Wagga National Glass Collection, Australia; Mobile City Art Glass Museum Collection, USA; Ernsting Stifting, Glass Museum, Coesfelfd Germany; De Young Museum Collection, San Fransisco, USA; Palm Springs Art Museum, CA. USA and Societe General, Singapore.

Matthew Curtis’ hand blown vessels use the technique of cased blown glass where several glass colours are overlaid. The coloured glass is blown together then carved away to reveal contrasting layers of colours through precisely calibrated dotted grids. His heavy constructed bowls with their stainless steel rims capture and transmit light in a unique and playful way. His larger monumental sculptural forms explore seemingly random patterns of microscopic forms from nature as repetitive patterns. Differing qualities and varieties of glass are used to articulate the tension between the inner volume and outer shape of the work. The ambiguity of these forms invites the viewer to interact imaginatively with these works. His structures reflect a desire to delve into the interior of some of the strange riches of nature.