The Washington Glass School

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Vanessa Cutler’s new book: New Technologies in Glass is a vital text for any glass artist wishing to expand their toolkit and challenge the possibilities of the medium

The world of the glass artist is changing. Emerging technology for the cutting, engraving, and printing of glass is opening doors for those who want to work more quickly, more accurately, at larger scales and in multiples, and is stretching the boundaries of innovation.

The Washington Glass School was first introduced to Vanessa Cutler’s waterjet glass artwork in the groundbreaking “Glass 3” exhibit held in Georgetown in 2008 with artists from the UK, Washington, DC and Toledo, OH. The art critic of DCist wrote of her work “Some of the artists are actually experts in glass theory with Ph.Ds and have developed techniques that not only create beautiful art, but have revolutionized architecture and other uses for the medium. Vanessa Cutler is one of those artists. She uses waterjet technology to create pitch-perfect cuts and holes in glass.”

Dr Vanessa Cutler is a Research Co-ordinator at the Welsh School of Architectural Glass, Swansea Metropolitan University, as well as a lecturer, craftsman, designer, consultant, recognised glass artist and authority on waterjet cutting of glass, and she has presented papers in Europe, UKand Americaon creative applications of using such technology for the creative and industrial sector. 

Spinal Wave – Waterjet cut & kiln-formed float glass

Detail – Spinal Wave

Dr Cutler’s new book  “New Technologies in Glass” is now out . Using straightforward language, she introduces the digital tools that are becoming an essential part of an artist’s toolkit, and describes the application of new technologies, from cutting and engraving machinery to rapid prototyping.

Dr Cutler loves glass. Here she smooches with her work exhibited at Chicago SOFA’s  BIGG (Breakthru  Ideas in Global Glass), 2009.

Vanessa trained in Architectural Stained Glass at the UK’s Swansea Institute and completed a Masters at University of Wolverhampton, before setting set up a studio undertaking a variety of commissions ranging from church restoration to contemporary interiors. In 2000 she moved to Sunderland, Englandto undertake research looking at creative uses of waterjet cutting. Vanessa was until recently an architectural glass artist living and working in, the North East employed as a Research Fellow at the University of Sunderland, completing her PhD in 2006. She now lectures at Swansea School of Architectural Glass, Swansea Metropolitan University, Swansea Wales.

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