About Jan
Glass Artist, Maker and Teacher
New Zealand-born, raised in Hong Kong and now based in West Sussex, I have worked with glass for more than thirty years. My practice brings traditional stained-glass skills together with contemporary processes, creating work shaped by memory, place and story.
My Journey
A life shaped by glass
I first discovered glass in 1995 through an evening class in Adelaide, Australia, and was instantly captivated. That early spark led to a City & Guilds qualification in the UK and the beginnings of my stained-glass practice. Over the years, I taught myself glass fusing, ran a successful studio and developed my skills through teaching, experimentation and long-term commissions.
Almost thirty years later, I returned to education as a mature student, completing my BA (Hons) in Glass and Ceramics at UCA Farnham in 2025. It proved to be an important turning point, giving me the space to question familiar ways of working and take my practice in new directions while remaining firmly rooted in traditional craft.
My practice today
My work combines traditional stained-glass methods with contemporary processes including fusing, casting and lampworking. I am particularly interested in bringing three-dimensional and sculptural elements into stained glass, extending the possibilities of a material that has historically been treated as a flat surface.
Memory and place run throughout my work, shaped by my connections to New Zealand, Hong Kong, Australia and the UK. Some pieces begin with personal memories; others grow from the stories of the people and places for which they are made.
Professional Practice : BA (Hons) Glass & Ceramics · Heritage Crafts Association · Contemporary Glass Society · Glass Art Society
Teaching and Sharing skills
Teaching has been an important part of my work for more than 25 years. I keep my classes small, allowing me to work closely with complete beginners as well as those wishing to develop their own glass practice.
I maintain strong connections with Aotearoa New Zealand and hope to spend more time teaching and working there in the future. I am also interested in creating opportunities for artists from different disciplines and countries to work together, sharing skills and exploring the connections between heritage craft and contemporary practice.
The Studio
My Bognor Regis studio is where commissions take shape, limited collections are created and small-group workshops are held. It is a working studio—often busy, occasionally chaotic and always full of glass.
“My aim is always to make something that resonates—quietly, clearly and with lasting beauty.”
2026 Events
Forge Gallery, Walberton - Open Studio Event - 27 - 28 June 2026
Arundel Gallery Trail - Exhibiting with the Forge Gallery Walberton as part of the Arundel Gallery Trail from 22 - 31 August 2026.
ArteVol 2025 longlisted · Platinum Window featured in the Church Times, 2026