The ancient and mysterious craft of glass blowing requires patience, endurance and daring. I have been working with hot glass since 1990 and continue to enjoy using and adapting traditional techniques in the pursuit of surprising new visions.

The time I spend as production manager at JamFactory continues to provide me with a solid foundation in the repetitive manufacture of functional glassware but also offers the variety of special orders, repairs and one-off sculptural work. My long association with JamFactory has been pivotal in enabling me to develop my own elaborate and idiosyncratic glass works.

For the past six years I have been constructing mixed media landscapes in which glass characters interact to make dreamlike stories. These are rather like museum dioramas for imaginary specimens. The protagonists are hybrid creatures that bridge the gaps between plants, animals and machines, these include Plantbird, Torpedoshark and Potatofishcar. The intention of my exhibition work is to present innovative craft objects in new and accessible ways that will amaze and delight a varied audience.

One of my favourite themes is the triumph of nature over industry, which has been represented by a wrecked car being overgrown by plants or more aggressively by a giant Kookaburra riding on the wrecked car. The tiny explosions that power infernal combustion engines are no match for the awesome destructive force of this 3000-kilogram joy rider. This image fills me with great hope.

And hope is a good thing. I am optimistic that the use of handmade glass will allow me to defy gravity and to melt the coldest heart.

Represented by Ray Hughes Gallery, Surry Hills NSW since 2007