Richard Roberts is based in Walsall in the West Midlands.  Upon leaving school he attended a Foundation in Art & Design at High Wycombe Polytechnic.  He then went on to study Fine Art Sculpture at the Norwich School of Art, obtaining a BA Hon’s.

Inspired by a glass blowing demonstration at the Red House Cone Glass Museum, Stourbridge, Richard was determined to explore the world of glass.  He attended a two year, 3D glass course at the International Glass Centre at Dudley College.

Richard then went on to complete an MA in Design & Applied Arts (glass) at Wolverhampton University in 2014 and went on to be Artist in Residence there in 2015/16.  Initially, Richard practiced glass blowing.  Over the years he has specialised in creating glass sculptures using kiln casting techniques. Those similar to the metal lost wax process which he has used for many years to produce bronze sculptures.

Richard has returned to glass blowing as his primary practice in glass.  He is attending the ‘Associateship’ course at Dudley College, and a further module at Wolverhampton University. Fused glass work is also of interest to Richard and he enjoys experimenting with that technique.

The unpredictability and chance of glass while it is in a hot malleable medium is what Richard relishes most.  Which ensures each piece is unique and impossible to repeat.  Which he believes is an antidote to the ‘digital’ and factory-made.

“I relish the tension & drama between what control and technical ability I have, and what the glass would prefer to do by its own accord!” Richard Roberts.