‘Natural Goes Modern’ Barry Cooper
23 May – 12 July 2009
Your chance to see the work of the award winning glass artist, Barry Cooper. He was St Helens Artist of the Year 2006. Barry’s creations in fused glass encompass natural elements, which are trapped in glass. This exhibition will be a fascinating and beautiful display of his work including bowls, sculptures and wall panels.
When Barry Cooper walked into The World of Glass eight years ago he little realised he was taking the first step to a new career. He’d come to St Helens’ famous museum to find out more about glass art after a friend gave him some posters as a present.
Today Barry is an award-winning glass artist himself, runs his own gallery in Ashton in Makerfield and is about to open his own exhibition ‘Natural goes Modern’ back at The World of Glass.
“I was fascinated by the fused glass pieces in those posters and wanted to find out how people created work like that,” explains Barry, 29, whose father used to work in Pilkingtons.
“One of the World of Glass’s resident glass artists encouraged me and that led me to rent use of their kiln for a year.
“Two years later I took a gamble, bought my own kiln and started working from home. I even used to cut up the glass on my lounge floor.”
Barry was named St Helens Artist of the Year 2006 and nominated for the St Helens Cultural Awards in 2008. As well as selling his work through the Ashton in Makerfield gallery, he also exhibits regularly in galleries throughout the North West.
Barry’s fused glass creations range from coasters and wall panels to pictures and jewellery, often featuring natural elements trapped in the glass.
He also takes individual commissions, one of the latest being for 10-foot high decorative panels of fused glass for the interior of a St Helens jewellers.
