After studying for her BA (Hons) in Decorative Arts at Nottingham Trent University, Michelle undertook a further two years at The International Glass Centre in the West Midlands. On completion of these two courses Michelle Keeling Glass was established in September 2005. In the short time that the business has been running Michelle has already completed a commission for the 2006 Black Country “See It In Colour” awards (a prestigious awards ceremony for the hotel and hospitality sector from across the West Midlands), as well as undertaking a number of private commissions for domestic interiors. In addition she was selected by The Crafts Council from over 80 new makers to exhibit in their “Springboard” feature area at Origin – The London Craft Fair, held recently at Somerset House.

Michelle Keeling Glass produces both sculptural glasswork and small scale wall hangings ideal for sales in gallery and retail outlets; as well as architectural wall panels suitable for commissions and larger scale commercial settings. In addition a stunning selection of glass pendants and functional platters have been added to the range earlier this year.

Originally inspired by the glacial environments she experienced in New Zealand, Michelle began using broken pieces of glass to translate the similarities seen between the ice and glass. This experimentation gradually developed into two distinct designs of work. The first using metal-based additions to the broken pieces, fired at a high temperature and the edges highly polished to create the illusion of a single sheet of glass. The second, using simply the glass itself, fired at a lower temperature to create more textural pieces. The beauty of both methods of creation – sometimes assembling directly into the kiln and always having to find the particular place which fits each fragment of glass – means that although shapes and styles of work can be repeated, no two finished pieces are ever the same.