Mary Quarmby lives in Wiltshire with her husband, two children and dog. She is a contemporary glass artist and uses fusing and slumping to complement traditional methods of glassworking, thereby creating unique vibrant and dynamic works. She believes that everything has energy and a rhythm and draws her inspiration from nature and her travels.
Mary is very happy to work with clients who have their own ideas and welcomes their input. She has led workshops in schools and then reproduced their designs in glass.
"I was lucky enough to be brought up in a very creative environment. Growing up my sisters and I were encouraged to knit, sew and garden and I developed many of these skills further.
Some attempts were more successful than others, but what I always loved was the way I could use colour. Further evidence of this came in the form of many coloured garments which I made for my daughter as she grew up.
My first experience with glass was when I was given a glass kit for my fortieth birthday. I found a teacher and she taught me the basics but I longed to explore the possibilities glass offered in greater depth, and I began experimenting on my own. My life changed when I went to college. I enrolled at Bath College to participate in a City& Guilds Decorative Glass course. An important part of the course was a formal art class. Having been away from formal education for a long time, this was sometimes challenging, but it was an extremely beneficial experience.
The course offered a fantastic opportunity to explore a range of techniques I had never previously tried. You could describe this as the point where I began to involve myself in pairing new techniques with more traditional methods. I now have my own studio where I can create things of beauty.
I believe colour is an important part of our life be it natural or man made."