Sabrina Cant

My sculpture, which is predominantly cast glass, uses a colour grading technique I developed at the Royal College of Art with combinations of colour that I have tested and have been continuously developing over the past 7 years. The abstract external forms and their internal geometry are determined by the colour effects I wish the viewer to see, which also vary significantly with the viewing angle and conditions of illumination. Differently coloured internal segments are seen in combination by means of internally transmitted and refracted light, for example to achieve a gradual transition from one colour to another. I have created a number of novel geometric constructions and explore in each a series of unique sculptures of different size, proportions and colour combinations.  Some sculptures feature thin shafts or other shapes of light at their centre or outside edges.  Air bubbles are sometimes incorporated in defined patterns, termed veiling, or in random distribution, and these bubbles can be highlighted by suitable illumination.

I am inspired by nature and artists including Turner and Rothko.  Some of my sculptures represent an instant in time in imagined cosmic events.
While glass, colour, geometry and light are the visible parameters of my sculptures, they are founded on years of training, experience, research and development of processes, together with many days of hard physical work in cutting, grinding and polishing, work on which I thrive and I believe is embodied in each finished sculpture.
In summary, I strive for beauty by means of conceptual thought, especially in desired colour effects and consequent geometry, traditional and innovative techniques and hard labour.

Born  1977

Education
2002-2004  The Royal College of Art (RCA), MA.
1996-1999  BA (hons) Ceramics and Glass. Bucks college, Brunel.
1994-1996  BTEC Advanced Art and Design. Braintree College.

Awards 
Jan 2008  The Craft Council Development Award.
July 2004  The New Designers Bombay Sapphire Award for Contemporary Glass.
June 2004  The Thames and Hudson RCA Society Art Book Prize.

Selected Exhibitions
Nov 2010  Made to Cherish - The Best of British Craft. CAA
July 2010  The Summer Exhibition. Pyramid Gallery, York.
July 2009  Breakthrough Ideas in Global Glass (BIGG). Urban Arts Space, Ohio, US.
May 2009  Bonhams, Modern and Contemporary Glass auction, in association with Dan Klein Associates.
Nov 2008  Flow. The Black Horse Gallery, Frome, Somerset, UK.
Sept 2008  Transmitter. The Koukan Gallery, London.
Aug 2008  British Glass Biennale 2008.
April 2008  The Bombay Sapphire Prize 2008. Milan, Italy.
Nov 2007  The London Group Open Exhibition, 2007. London.
Aug 2006  The British Glass Biennale 2006.
June 2005  Fresh Air. Quennington Sculpture Trust.
June 2005  One Year On, The Craft Council, Business Design Centre, London.
Sept 2004  The Bombay Sapphire Prize 2004, touring exhibition.
July 2004  New Designers. Business Design Centre, London, UK.
May 2004    Royal College of Art, MA Show.
Aug 2003  Transfuse. The Great Eastern Hotel, London.
July 2002  Henley Festival, 2002. Buckinghamshire, UK.
Jan 2002  The London Art fair 2002. New London Glass. London.

Public Collections
1999  Julian Markham, Chairman, The London Institute
2001  Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines
2005  Mrs. Leslie Craze, Leslie Craze Gallery, London
2005  Mr. Bill McCabe, Broughton Gallery, Scotland
2006  Carrington Wire Ltd., Yorkshire
2007  Holding 10 Collection

Commissions
April 2010  Glass and Jesmonite concrete installation commissioned for the penthouse roof terrace of Hudson Tower looking over the Olympic stadium.
June 2009  Bathroom Window Sculpture. Queen’s Anne Gardens
Chiswick.
Nov 2008  Science award trophies commissioned by Brentwood County High School.
Nov 2008  Glass wall partition. The Mill Hill house Barnes.
July 2007  Bookham United Reformed Church. The Sanctuary window.

Publications
Bonhams, Modern and Contemporary Glass, London, 19th May2009.
Edition PAUMES, London Ateliers, Shufunotomosha, Feb 2009.
The Observer Sunday Supplement, Nov 2008, Courvoisier,
The Future 500.
SE1 City Magazine, London, March 2008
Peter Layton and Friends - Celebrating London Glassblowing, Halsgrove publication.
The Richard and Judy Show, Channel 5 Television, London, March 2005.