Gallery Artists
Thomas Petit
Thomas Petit started his craft experience in the world of clay while at school and despite his determination to be the next Bernard Leach he was encouraged to try other artistic mediums to broaden his mind and experience. Remembering a childhood visit to the Dartington Crystal Factory to watch glassblowing, he set about searching for small courses and found one with Norman Stuart-Clarke in Cornwall. Mesmerised with this new and exciting material, clay was almost completely forgotten about.
In 2016 he realised he was often missing opportunities due to the limitations of his availability so jettisoned the full-time job to concentrate wholly on his glass business and expand the number of galleries and shows.
“I draw upon many influences in the creation of my glassware, from the broad spectrum of the Arts and my own photography, to everyday objects and experiences. When I set out to design a new range I usually have a set of colour combinations in mind. I often try to visualise what they will look like in my head and jot down notes about possible colours and techniques. Unfortunately, ideas that worked in the mind or on paper often look considerably different in the glass medium, so I will keep experimenting with them until I get the desired effect. Sometimes it is the happy accidents that spark off the best idea.
My Shore ranges were influenced by my childhood outings in
East Sussex, where we used to walk for hours over the South Downs and coastal
valleys to the sea, with Cuckmere being a firm favourite. I wanted to try to
capture the flint and cobbled beaches of this area in an abstract beachside
landscape. Since the original Sea Shore ranges, ‘Flint’ & ‘Waves’, there
have been hybrids and different coloured backgrounds, and the range continues
to evolve
