Oone of Britain's most highly recognised and leading glassmakers
Bob Crooks trained at West Surrey College of Art and Design and later worked at the celebrated First Glass in London, before deciding to relocate to Devon in 2002. He is one of the UK's most highly recognised leading glassmakers, renowned for the high quality, skilfully executed dynamic forms and surfaces. His dynamic, contemporary decanters, finely balanced bowls and joyful perfume bottles are works of the highest order.
Continuously thinking of original and challenging ideas, each piece is designed, handmade and finished by Bob. No moulds are used to create the forms or surfaces achieved. Bobs pieces are inspired by geometry, architecture and the natural and man-made worlds in which we live, as well as the qualities and capabilities of the glass itself. Bob exploits the many properties of the material through refraction or reflection; sharpness or softness, transparency or opacity, working with its fluidity and freezing it as the desired form is realised.
Bob Crooks work has been exhibited internationally and in noted exhibitions in Italy, China, Scandinavia, Australia and the USA and is included in numerous international collections.
Education
1984-85 Humberside College of Higher Education, Foundation Course
1985-89 West Surrey College of Art & Design, BA (Hons)
1986-87 Year out as assistant to Ronnie Wilkinson, former Master Glassmaker of Whitefriars glassworks, at the Glasshouse, Covent Garden, London
1989-90 Workshop manager at Glassworks (London) Ltd. Assistant to Simon Moore, Catherine Hough and Steven Newell
1990-94 Set up First Glass, Newent, Gloucestershire
1994-2002 First Glass Clapham, London
2002- Relocated “Bob Crooks: First Glass” to Devon
Awards
2008 Worshipful Company Of Glass Sellers Of London, The Glass Sellers Art And Craft Award
1989 Prize winners Goblets, First Impressions Anglia Television
1990 Prize winners Vases, First Impressions Anglia Television
