Biography

Orinoco Fused Glass by Clare Beck is based in a small blue shed at the back of my home in East Co. Clare. As a child I was at my happiest with a large supply of paper & a pencil case full of colours. So, no surprise that I ended up choosing to study art and went to college in Swansea, Wales, to study Architectural Stained Glass. It was a perfect choice, I loved it! For many years after finishing college, I worked in a glazing company which allowed me to put into practice all I had learnt and proving wrong anyone who had questioned the validity of studying ‘a dying artform’ Eventually the time came when I had to accept that I had lost my creative spark and needed a new challenge. What to do next, when glass was what I knew? The complexity of Glass Fusing was something that had always intrigued me and I was keen to experiment. My husband kindly “donated” his garden shed, I bartered 2 blocks of West Cork cheese in exchange for a kiln and Orinoco Fused Glass was born. Fusing glass is a constant journey of discovery. I never fail to be amazed and fascinated by the change in the glass when I lift the kiln lid and see the transformation of colours, shapes and textures. My inspiration for my work is drawn predominately from nature and the beautiful landscape of Co.Clare with its constantly changing colours, textures and light. All my work, be it a large framed picture, a small Christmas tree decoration or something in between, is an individual creation, handmade by me in my little blue shed in Co. Clare.