About Cathryn Shilling

Cathryn Shilling first studied glass in Connecticut having moved there with her family following a successful graphic design career. After further study in London, she has gone on to create a large and varied collection of kiln formed and hot glass of great beauty and collectability.

She uses bold and experimental techniques, skilfully combining the fluidity and transparency of glass with materials such as metals and ceramic transfers to produce one-off sculptural pieces. Shape, texture, light and colour are used to great effect to create joyful and exciting work, which is always innovative and surprising.

In 2010 Cathryn’s was invited to participate in Remarkable Glass at the Contemporary Applied Arts Gallery with her Synergy Series, which was also selected as a finalist for the Bullseye Glass E-merge 2010 Juried Kiln-glass exhibition. Her Synergy Series II was selected for the British Glass Biennale.

In 2011 Cathryn was invited to curate the Craft and Design Month Launch Exhibition which was presented by Craft & Design Magazine in collaboration with Peter Layton and the Gallery at London Glassblowing. And in July 2011 Cathryn demonstrated how she cuts and compiles glass elements to be kiln formed into sculptural pieces or to be used as elements in hot glass, at Art in Action, Waterperry House, Oxford where her work was also on display.

During 2011 Cathryn curated several other exhibitions at The Gallery at London Glassblowing. This included the ‘Melt ’ exhibition which she co-curated with Angela Thwaites.

After studying for a BA (Hons) at London’s Central School of Art and Design, Cathryn set up her own practice working as a graphic designer. Clients included the National Gallery, Victoria & Albert Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, the Wallace Collection, The Queen’s Gallery, the British Library, the Courtauld Institute Gallery, Thorn EMI, the Barbican Centre, British Waterways Board, Guinness Publishing, Bison Books, Spillers Foods, Thames Television, The Inter-Parliamentary Union, Record Treasury Management Ltd, Mill Hill School, The National Economic Development Agency and Dorling Kindersley Publishers.

2002 - 2005 - Studied stained glass at Renaissance Studio, Connecticut, USA.

2005 - 2009 - Studied kiln formed glass at Kensington & Chelsea College and glass blowing at Peter Layton’s London Glassblowing Workshop.

2007 – Set up in a studio alongside three other glass artists.

2010 – Began Cathryn Shilling Glass.

2010 – Joined the team at London Glassblowing Studio and Gallery as exhibition coordinator and curator.