Having completed four years of artistic study in Glasgow and London, Ali qualified with a graphic design degree, top of her year in 1990. She successfully worked as a graphic designer in London for twenty years, including ten years as Co-owner and Creative Director of a large retail design agency. During this period she travelled extensively, overseeing interiors and graphic design projects globally.
Having moved to Australia in 2011, Ali has explored her creative craft further without the constraints of commerciality. A love of silversmithing led her to explore the incorporation of fused glass into her jewellery, and it was here that her eyes were opened to the potential of printed imagery within the medium. This prompted further exploration using larger glass formats, screen printing and her own photography.
Inspired by experimental mark making and abstraction, Ali now employs a mixed media approach combining extensive image layering in glass, traditional canvas and hand painting.
"The glass I use in creating my work is handmade in single hand rolled sheets in Portland USA. Ceramic paint is handmixed to achieve bespoke colours, and is painted, screenprinted, then fused to the glass in a kiln firing process."
"At this point the glass is cut by hand and re-collaged together through a further kiln fusing. A final layer of printing is then done, followed by another fuse in the kiln to harden the paint. Each kiln firing takes approximately 24 hours, and can be up to 5 days depending on the thickness of the glass layers to be fused."
Having moved to Australia in 2011, Ali has explored her creative craft further without the constraints of commerciality. A love of silversmithing led her to explore the incorporation of fused glass into her jewellery, and it was here that her eyes were opened to the potential of printed imagery within the medium. This prompted further exploration using larger glass formats, screen printing and her own photography.
Inspired by experimental mark making and abstraction, Ali now employs a mixed media approach combining extensive image layering in glass, traditional canvas and hand painting.
"The glass I use in creating my work is handmade in single hand rolled sheets in Portland USA. Ceramic paint is handmixed to achieve bespoke colours, and is painted, screenprinted, then fused to the glass in a kiln firing process."
"At this point the glass is cut by hand and re-collaged together through a further kiln fusing. A final layer of printing is then done, followed by another fuse in the kiln to harden the paint. Each kiln firing takes approximately 24 hours, and can be up to 5 days depending on the thickness of the glass layers to be fused."