LAYNE ROWE Glass
Layne Rowe graduated from Shephalbury College in Art and Design in 1989, and later gained his BA Hons in 3D Design from the University of Central Lancashire.
After completing his degree, Layne moved to the renowned glass studios of Peter Layton in London. He worked there as a studio blower helping to make and develop designs for the London Glassblowing Workshop under the guidance of Layton, until in 2003 he moved for a short period to Brazil, where he was making and exhibiting his blown glass. On his return to England in 2005 he set up as a glass-blower producing his own range of designs including the ’Galaxy’ range as illustrated above.
Layne Rowe is a steady hand; an immensely experienced glass artist who strives to perfect and push beyond the limits of technique, resulting in pieces of glass that are rich in detail. A renowned artist in his own right, and having worked with Peter Layton at the London Glassblowing Studio for over 15 years on and off, Layne has been involved in glass projects ranging from exhibitions at the V&A; to helping to develop Studio Glass in Brazil.
Layne admits his art puts process above concept, by pushing the possibilities of technique in every direction and then, ’looking at nature, at colour patterns, the things that influence that’s when things really begin to develop.’ His recent woven pieces are the result of intricate over-layering of different coloured canes around a form that is twisted and, when cold, cut into to reveal vibrant colours beneath the surface. The effect is like water flowing over precious stones, the glimmering colours beneath reflecting natural growth and corrosion. Layne proudly admits that the intensely multicoloured and multi-layered process ’has become very complex and complicated which is something I love.’ He wants the viewer to look twice, to double-take perhaps, and to want to get as close as possible to the pieces to understand the hidden secrets of their tangled and bewildering detail. ’I hope that the work makes people want to discover every intricacy of the piece.’
Layne enjoys observing people’s reactions to his work, ’everything is up for interpretation, that’s what it’s all about!’ Layne’s work is diverse and complex and he invites you to look again, and again.
