Scott Benefield

16th century Venetian glassblowing

Q&A

Artist Statement

I try to build on the long history of glass by inventing new patterns, exploring permutations, and increasing my understanding of the material by going back to the original conditions of fire and gravity, using the same tools that have shaped glass for two millennia.

What craft do you work with?

Glass

What inspires you to work with this craft?

My work draws upon glass working traditions of 16th century Venetian glassblowing

How do you start your creative process?

In this tradition, the ability of glass to change its state from a solid to a liquid is pushed to its limit – everything that gives the final object its form or decoration happens at elevated temperatures, emphasising the fluid nature of glass and the glassblower’s dexterity

How would you best describe your workspace and what tools could you not do without?

There is no engraving or painting or reshaping afterwards. The entire object is created in real, continuous time and as such is a record of the reactions and decision-making that occur in a split second as the material is moving in your hands.