In anticipation of Laura Murdoch’s upcoming exhibition Looking Glass: Apertura Series, we asked Laura to tell us a bit about herself, her inspiration, her audience and her other projects. In this interview Laura demonstrates a passion towards her craft that is incredibly admirable and undoubtedly apparent in her works. Laura’s exhibition will be on view at the CCBC gallery from August 13th to September 24th.
I was raised in the Canadian north, in various small towns, where the winters were long and cold. As kids, we stayed inside a lot. I learnt many different types of crafts with the encouragement of my teachers and parents, in an effort to keep us busy, even obscure things like loom-beading, linoleum printing, resin casting and so on. I still have an incredible amount of curiosity about trying different types of making, this past year I tried bronze making and printmaking. I particularly love to tie different media to each other. For example, bronze with glass or using glass patterns to make prints. I find nothing more fulfilling than conceiving or executing work. I cannot remember not being a maker of things. The journey exhilarates me; the result gives me such joy. Making is the best thing I do.
After childhood exposure to a diverse selection of crafts, when I found glass I felt like I had truly arrived. I was fortunate enough to have landed in the midst of an incredibly ambitious and successful team of creative artists who mentored and inspired me. They gave me incredible opportunities and it changed everything
When it comes to my own work, I think the audience is most struck by the colourful visual uniqueness and the pleasing complexity of the patterning and colour. At least I hope they are! I go to great lengths to create the layered depths of patterned texture inside the glass. I hope this shows, and draws people in. In a perfect world, my work would create a sense of awe and mystery around how the work was made. My work is also unapologetically thick and heavy, unlike many other glass works, and I think this feature attracts viewers.
In addition to my glass practice, I have a building construction and engineering background. Currently, I am rehabilitating a 300-year-old barn into a home. It is a different kind of creativity (and whole lot of stress, but also joy). Of course, I am already visualizing all the blown glass lighting and glass objects that will go in it, not just mine, but gifts from other artists over the years. We purchased the barn partly because of the studio possibilities it holds for me in terms of space and light. Creating is definitely the central part of my life. When I am not creating, I am holding my breath waiting until I can do it next. It is when I feel grounded, purposeful, and happy.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse vel arcu ac lorem rutrum vestibulum. Curabitur in eros sollicitudin, porttitor tellus nec, mattis lorem. Praesent id nisl dapibus, fringilla libero eget, tempus elit. Vestibulum aliquam, arcu sed maximus ullamcorper, nulla elit elementum nisi, ut tempor est turpis at odio. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Mauris a lorem id massa vestibulum pharetra. Nullam ac dui lacus. Suspendisse luctus tincidunt volutpat. Pellentesque tempor aliquet leo, nec imperdiet felis lacinia mattis.