Ben Walters

Chandelier (detail), 2010
Glass, aluminium, steel, nylon, LED lights, rubber
Free-blown trumpets, computer aided design, water jet cutting, three axis milling, turning, drilling
Produced with the support of Manchester Metropolitan University
Photo: Nick Moss

Walters is fascinated with the processes of glassblowing and its articulate and malleable nature. He sees the use of technology as a way of elevating his craft to reach more complex assembly and more radical forms. Finding a balance and harmony in the finish and creation of an object, which embraces the industrial and doesn’t forget the craft, is his primary goal.

Blown at Manchester Metropolitan University and developed as part of a research project, Chandelier is a fusion of advanced manufacturing techniques and traditional craftsmanship. Radiating from a precision engineered structure, each blown glass trumpet is unique.

Biography

Ben studied Glass on the Undergraduate Program at the University of Sunderland, graduating in 2007 with a BA in Glass. Looking to develop his passion for glass further, he undertook a Postgraduate course on the Glass Program and upon graduating in 2008 with an MA in Glass, he was offered a role on the National Glass Centre studio glass blowing team. Whilst at the NGC for three years, he set up a company producing chandeliers and sculpture for commercial and residential properties and has embarked upon a second MA at Manchester Metropolitan University in Three Dimensional Design.

Related links

• Visit Ben Walters' website