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His childhood was spent in a creative atmosphere of a home combined with his father's studio ceramics workshop, surrounded by pots, kilns and a busy showroom with many visitors, and it was in this stimulating environment that he first began to experiment using clay and glazes, and working with forms and decoration.
Dan gained his degree in Glass at Sunderland University, during which time he developed a distinctive technique involving cutting and stretching vase forms to produce antennae. He then spent a year at the International Glass Centre at Brierley Hill, West Midlands, which is attended by students from all over the world wishing to refine and develop their technical skills. During this time he worked at Broadfield House, a glass museum with a working hot glass studio, for two days each week, and it was during this time that he determined to have his own studio.
Just at the time that Dan decided to set up his hot glass studio in his home county, Newark and Sherwood District Council were in the throes of converting two courtyards of disused buildings at Edwinstowe, the heart of Nottinghamshire's tourist area and home of the legendary Robin Hood, and it was agreed that one of the workshops be specially designed for Dan.
He and his father built most of the equipment themselves over a period of eighteen months, and the glass melting furnace itself was completed only hours before the control gear and gas was due to be installed.
Dan has now been established for a very eventful seven years, and has a substantial list of wholesale and retail customers, as well as completing many varied and individual commissions. He has also participated in major exhibitions both in the UK and abroad, and has a full programme planned for 2006.
Dan Aston BA Hons
COLLEGE: West Nottinghamshire College of Further Education Mansfield Nottinghamshire
UNIVERSITY: University of Sunderland 1992 - 1995
BA (HONS) 3D Glass and Ceramics
POSTGRADUATE COURSE: The International Glass Centre 1995 - 1996
Dudley College WMAF Glass Brierley Hill Techniques and Technology
STUDIO WORKSHOP: Established Firefly Glass at Edwinstowe Nottinghamshire UK 1998
EXHIBITIONS:
From 1996 to 2005 Dan has exhibited at:
Himley Hall near Kingswinford, West Midlands
The Angel House Gallery Sheffield
The Stables Studio, Martin, Lincoln
East Midlands Arts: Showcase Exhibition
Quadratti Gallery: Braga, Portugal
Yozu Gallery: New York USA9
National Glass Centre: Sunderland UK 1999
Cupola Gallery: Sheffield UK 1999
Studio Fusion: London UK 1999
Bonington Gallery: Trent University: Nottingham UK
We Three Kings Gallery: Witney Oxford UK
Coombe Farm Gallery: Dartmouth Devon UK
Artfull Expression Gallery: Birmingham UK
The Yard Gallery: Nottingham UK "Hubble's Universe"
Dartington Glass Gallery: Dartington Devon UK
Rufford Carft Centre: Nottinghamshire
West End Gallery: Wirksworth Derbyshire UK
Trent University Gallery: Nottingham UK
Beatrice Royal Gallery: Eastleigh Hampshire UK
Sable V Fine Art Gallery: Wimberley, Texas USA, Millennium Galleries, Sheffield UK
Among numerous individual commissions was one for commemorative gifts from the British Racing Driver’s Club at Silverstone, as well as 45 table centre pieces for their annual dinner at a London hotel, * two large glass chalices for Mansfield, Massachusetts, blown coloured glass spheres incorporated into table designs for * Arthur Brett the specialist handmade and contract furniture which were exhibited in the US, 3 contemporary glass fonts for refurbished churches around Nottinghamshire, and individually designed sandblasted panels for domestic and commercial use. Most recently, Dan has included dichroic glass in jewellery, handblown vases and paperweights, and, with stainless steel framing, * a wall mounted sculpture for a private home.
Dan and the Firefly studio has also taken part in several TV programmes, including “Houses Behaving Badly”, and “B & B: The Best” both of which created much interest and an increase in sales and visitors from all over the country to the studio.
This year 2006 the emphasis is on attending smaller, more selective British made craft and designer fairs, and these include shows at Buxton, Cambridge, Dulwich, Melbourne, Macclesfield, Farnham, and at Michelham Priory in East Sussex.
Ceremonial candlesticks 30" and 24" high for a town twinning presentation between Mansfield Nottinghamshire UK and Mansfield Massachusetts USA
Hand blown coloured glass spheres with silver leaf intrusions incorporated into table leg designs for Arthur Brett Furniture.
Exhibited in the USA.
Wall mounted stainless steel silver wire with dichroic glass components.
48" x 24"