Biography

Roberta Mason is a believer in “the fundamental interconnectedness of all things” as coined by Douglas Adams. It’s a humorous truth in a world where global urbanisation has moved many of us away from our deep connections with nature. With deep connection - comes a sense of the value and importance of all we are connected to. I feel this most strongly when in or around the sea – an extraordinary otherworld. My work is inspired by my underwater experiences, the language of bubbles and the amazing world of strange and wonderful marine creatures. I aim to celebrate them and their alien beauty with my work whilst bringing attention to the vital roles they often play in sustaining our ocean ecosystems. Through my work, I want to share my passion and hope that, in the words of Rachel Carson, “The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.”

The creation of my work involves using traditional hot glass techniques, in non-traditional, environmentally sustainable ways, and repurposing objects and materials to create unique, sculptural work. Hot glass is the perfect vehicle as it’s transparency and movement capture a snapshot of life in a way few materials can.

My journey into art has come via science and technology. I received my MA in Ceramics and Glass from the Royal College of Art in 2018 and have exhibited internationally with work in private collections in Australia, China, Europe, the UK and the United States. I have recently moved to west Wales and joined forces with another glassmaker to establish an environmentally sustainable, carbon friendly studio.

Not a Plant

  • recycled glass and stone

  • 20 x 24cm (appx)

  • The oceans are not my only love, I have loved trees all my life and like so many others, I have become fascinated by the world of fungi so eloquently explored and described in 'Entangled Life' by Merlin Sheldrake. A big part of our sustainability work is around planting trees and re-establishing hedgerows where we live, so I was thrilled to be asked to create some special work of the upcoming exhibition at Upton Castle Gardens in Pembrokeshire.

    The exhibition, titled Coeden: Amid the trees, seeks to explore the relationship between trees, forests and their role in human lives and imaginations past and present. I have made both indoor and outdoor sculptures for this based on repurposed and or re-melted waste glass, and repurposed stone and metal. All inspired by our connected lives.

Coral Fragment Drop

  • Glass

  • 8 x 8cm (appx)

Interdimensional II (Fruiting Bodies)

  • Outdoor sculpture in copper, steel and mirrored. Made using recycled glass

  • 9.5 x 15cm (appx)

  • A trio of glass sculptures on a single stem, inspired by slime moulds. Slime moulds do not attack plants, but obtain their food by engulfing bacteria, fungal spores and other tiny pieces of organic material as they move.

Beyond Words

  • Recycled glass

  • 25 x 20 cm (appx)

  • This collection has also been made from re-melted waste glass from our studio in West Wales.

    There is a wonderful book, 'Silence in the Age of Noise' by Norwegian Explorer, Erling kagge. He speaks about "the way that words create boundaries for our experiences." How we can sometimes spend so much time trying to find the words for an amazing experience instead of actually concentrating on the experience itself.

    That's why I love diving. It's essentially non-verbal. A profound, highly visual or sensory experience that is quite beyond words. Shared only with those that were there, and in a smile or a look - few words. A lifetime of memory. Each piece in the Beyond Words collection is a celebration of a lifetime of these experiences and of those people I have been lucky enough to share these memories with.

    For all the beauty we see, the emotions we feel, the sounds we hear, our loves and memories that take us beyond the bounds of language.

Baby Draig Drop

  • Glass

  • 9.5 x 15cm (appx)

Underwater Drop

  • Glass

  • 8 x 8cm (appx)

Interdimensional I (Fruiting Bodies)

  • Outdoor sculpture in copper, steel and mirrored. Made using recycled glass

  • 9.5 x 15cm (appx)

  • A trio of glass sculptures on a single stem, inspired by slime moulds. Slime moulds do not attack plants, but obtain their food by engulfing bacteria, fungal spores and other tiny pieces of organic material as they move.