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Tolly’s effective photography has led to large-scale commissions which she undertakes in her newly –renovated studio near Cambridge.
Tolly has a degree in textiles which is evident in her ability to achieve
balance and in her search for texture and detail within her natural subjects.
Her enthusiasm for the natural world stems from her family background of
nature-orientated passions whilst her wider appreciation cores from extensive
foreign travel, most recently to Madagascar, and taking part in wildlife
research projects abroad. Tolly is constantly mesmerized by the sometimes
overlooked details of nature which are a continual source of inspiration for her
art.
In 2009 the elements of Tolly’s work which focus on extinct and endangered
species will form part of an exhibition within the Zoology Museum, Cambridge to
celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Darwin’s Origin of Species.
Having worked under some of the most influential and eminent glass artists in
Sweden and the U.S., this has fuelled Tolly's delight in the material itself. By
using a combination of techniques she bases her work around the qualities in
glass she appreciates the most – its vulnerability but also its solidity.
“Using methods such as Pate-de–verre I aim to extract and express the beauty of
glass in its very fragile state, forming a ‘crust’ or an exoskeleton of what
could be there - an artwork that has shed its skin and is left bare, exposed,
raw and beautiful”
Within her degree Tolly won awards for innovation and originality. Now, her need
to break down the boundaries between disciplines is even more evident – glass
and weave, sculpture and photography, fine art and design. By removing these
constraints Tolly leads herself into unexplored territory and breaking new
ground..
- Qualifications
- 1997-99 BA Honours Textiles: Winchester School of Art
- 1996 Diploma in Foundation Studies: Winchester School of Art
- A-levels: Hills Rd Sixth Form College, Cambridge
- Awards
- 1995 Award for Extra-curricular Excellence, Hills Road Sixth Form College,
- Cambridge
- 1998 1st place:Amoco Student Design Competition, (Weave) USA
- Honourable Mention ~ ~ ~ ~
- Honourable Mention ~ ~ ~ ~
- 1999 Georgina von Etzdorf Award for Innovation in Textiles
-
2008 South Cambs District Council Built Heritage Award scheme: 1st Place Contemporary Design sympathetic to the Historic Environment for ‘The Ark’
- 2008 CGS Bursary for masterclasses at The Liquid Glass Centre
- Artistic Experience
- 1997 3 weeks Personal Assistant Bertil Vallien, Kostaboda, Sweden
-
1998 Semester at Rhode Island School of Design, US, studying ‘liquid to Solid’ casting with Daniel Clayman
- Casting with Rick Mills, Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, U.S.
- 1999 Degree Show Co-ordinator, Winchester, U.K.
- Glass Beadmaking course, Pilkington Glass, Stourbridge ,U.K.
- Pate-de-verre course, Corning Museum of Glass,, USA
- 2000 Photographic tuition, Cambridge Darkroom
- 2001-03 Interior Design work and sales with Natalie Clegg Design Ltd, Cambs.
- Botanical illustration, Cambridge University short course.
- Nikon Professional Digital SLR course, London
- 2003-2004 Design of own Website & set up of own business -‘Tolly’s Ark’
-
2004 Glass Techniques course with Helen Maurer, Central St.Martins College of Art, London.
- Assistant to Layne Rowe, glassblower,
- 2006 ‘Woven structures’ course with Mary Butcher, Cambridg
- Cast Glass tuition with Lucy Swift, London.
- 2007 Design, photography, sales and distribution of ‘Live Art’ cards
- Co-founded CAMBA with other artistic professionals within the Cambridge Area
- Design & implementation of CAMBA Website
-
2008 Glass Mouldmaking Masterclass with Fiaz Elson, Liquid Glass Centre, Wingfield.
- 2008 Glass Coldworking techniques with Fiaz Elson, Liquid Glass Centre, Wingfield.
- 2008 ‘Printing with Light’ course, London Glassblowing, Shelley James & Louis Thompson
- Selected Exhibitions
- 1998 Neocon ’98 Chicago, USA
- 1999 ‘Action Japan’, Nottingham Playhouse
- Winchester School of Art
- New Designers, London
- 2002-04 Darrel Nantais Gallery, Linton, Cambs.
- 2003-05 Bridges of St.Ives, Cambs.
- 2004 ‘Through the Lens of the Artist, 7 Contemporary Photographers’,
- Limberhurst Arts, Cambs.
- 2004-05 ‘Affordable Art’, S.C.D.C., Cambourne, Cambs.
- Aisini Gallery, St.Ives, Cambs.
- Venue, Arts Picture House, Cambridge
- Arthouse Gallery, Brighton,
- Art Asset Online Gallery,
- 2006 Bruno’s Brasserie, Cambridge
- 2007 ‘Ray of Light’ joint exhibition with Layne Rowe, The Ark, Cambs.
- ‘E-merge’ Solo Exhibition,The Upper Gallery, Cambridge.
- 2008 Affordable Art Fair, The Café Jello Gallery @ Battersea Park, London
- Photographic Exhibition, Williams Art, Cambridge
- Café Jello Glass Gallery, Cambridge.
- Angela Mellor Gallery, Ely
- Cambridgeshire Galleries, Whittlesford
- 2009 (Cambridge Museum of Zoology)
- Selected Commissions
- 1997 Glass Screen design, Nason Davis Ltd, Cambridge
- 2002 Large Silk and Glass wall-hangings ‘Studio 1’ Beauty Salon
- 2003 Glass Screen design, Nason Davis Japan Ltd, Tokyo
- 2003-04 Collection of photographs & drawings, Bridges of St. Ives
- Various private commissions in Oils inc. ‘Balloon Flight over Africa’, Jo’burg, S.A.
- Photographic commission for tree-themed meeting rooms, Art Contact
- Photography for Itchy Guide to Cambridge
- 2004-05 Design and production of bespoke Wedding Stationery
- Photographs & Brochure design, Travis Perkins Ltd.
- 2004,06 Various private commissions in Pen & Ink & Watercolour
- 2005-06 Greeting Card commissions in Pen & ink: Woodmansterne Publications
- Hotchpotch Publications
- Various photographic commissions inc. Rider Sale Associates, Eversham
- Venue restaurant, Cambridge
- 2006 Allen & Overy Ltd, Bishops Square, London: Large Scale photographs, flora and landscapes of Italy, Spain, Holland and U.K
- .
-
2005-08 Various private photographic and glass-based commissions
- 2008 Orchard St Investment Management, Cork St, London: Large scale photographs on Acrylic
- 2008 Glass mascot for Antique Morgan