Jonathan was born into a family of glassmakers, he remembers visiting his father at Whitefriars factory, where he spent Saturdays helping out. He also recalls visiting his glassmaking Grandfather in both Denmark and Sweden. Beyond that birth and death certificates certify that glass has been in his family for 7 generations.
It is unsurprising then that to Jonothan glass is not simply a material , it is an integral part of his identity.
“Technically speaking glass is man’s first synthesized material, that is, its not found in nature. Of course we don’t often think about this and lets face it , most of us take glass pretty much for granted. Its the stuff we look through to keep the weather out. Or it’s the thing used to dispense drinks in, despite its fragility. However the qualities of glass and its history can be fascinating. I’ve learnt a lot about it but mainly I’m interested in its use as an artistic medium. Ever since I can remember I have had a desire , perhaps a need to make things happen. I’ve heard it called the “joie de faire”, the joy of making. There is something very primeval, very basic about taking very little and making something . Creating some-thing from no-thing. Or taking something which is less than nothing, some waste, some junk and making something beautiful, is a thing of wonder.”
