Amanda Simmons and Lise Bech present new bodies of work alongside one another.

Amanda Simmons presents a new collection of glass vessels and wall pieces inspired by the patterns and colours of the land and sky observed during a series of residencies in Australia. Also concerned with the land and landscape, Lise Bech works exclusively with Scottish willow to create traditional as well as contemporary pieces, much of it organically grown from her home and studio in Fife, tended and harvested (coppiced) by hand.

Amanda Simmons

Photography by Kim Ayres

Born: 1970

Originally trained in Biomedical Sciences (Pharmacology) and Clinical Sciences, Amanda became interested in glass in 2002 after a stained glass course with Ray Bradley and then pursued a postgraduate in Glass and Architecture from Central St Martins College of Art and Design, London, in 2004. Amanda currently works from her studio in Dumfries and Galloway.

‘I make kiln formed glass objects, playing with gravity in the kiln. Manipulating mass, heat, colour and time I aim to create complex, elusive work that has intense colour and pattern which reacts to the light it is placed in. I use opaque glass powders to construct my work because of its varying translucency as the form elongates in the kiln. I finish the kiln fired pieces using many cold working processes to shape and mark the glass including sandblasting, hand lapping and diamond point and wheel engraving.’ – Amanda Simmons

Public Collections include: National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh; Ernsting-Stiftung Glass Museum, Germany; The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge; Perth Museum and Art Gallery, Scotland

Amanda Simmons presents a new collection of glass vessels in her solo exhibition, We Are Crow, in March 2024.

Lise Bech

Born: 1951

Place of Birth: Denmark

Originally from Denmark, Lise Bech lived and worked in the Southern Uplands of Scotland for many years drawing inspiration from the landscape. She has since made a new home and studio in the heart of Fife. Living close to the earth through gardening, she grows her own willows and cares deeply for the planet. Co-operation, collaboration and community continue to be the touchstones which inform her life and practice as a basket-maker.

‘My journey with willow began almost 40 years ago. Despite having virtually lived and breathed willow for many of those years there has always been more ideas to try out and forms to explore. With less pressure in my later years, I have had time to play and experiment and indeed go deeper in those that had lasting appeal. The introduction of twisted twigs from my garden as handles and gold leaf on a ’shopper’ is a playful tongue in cheek juxtaposition which may raise questions… What is it for? Is it a shopper? Do we need shoppers these days?’ – Lise Bech

Two Hemispheres

Amanda Simmons

Lise Bech

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