Speakeasy: The paradox of glass with Ruth Parker Art.
Image: Ruth Parker.
Ruth Parker is an artist and designer specialised in working with glass to create artworks and large scale bespoke surfaces for interior and architectural projects. Alongside her own personal practice she takes on various commissioned projects, creating designs that have been used in hotels, retails outlets, restaurants and homes around the world. Each intricate piece is a one-of-a-kind creation using a variety of crafts and ancient techniques applied in a contemporary style. We spoke to Ruth about her affinity with glass, a material she describes as strong yet fragile, modern and magical.
What interests you about working with glass?
Glass is a fascinating material because of the beautiful surface effects you can create with it, but also because of its significance within culture. It’s an ancient material and yet, aesthetically, it still feels modern. It has so much historical significance. Recently I’ve been researching how mirrors have been used in a shamanistic context; they were used to conjure visions, make prophecies and connect with the spirit world. For me, mirror and glass are like portals, the divide between the internal and external. When you think about most modern devices, the bridge between the digital and physical. When used within interior design, mirrors are also a wonderful way to reflect the environment back to us, bouncing light into the space, showing ourselves within the architecture. It is a thin sheet material yet it can bring a space alive. I’m interested in the idea of taking something like a mirror which is considered very functional and elevating it. Glass is full of paradoxes, it’s strong yet fragile, modern and magical.
Image: Ruth Parker Art.
Can you tell us more about the techniques you use?
Each piece that I create is handmade and unique, using a variety of crafts. A beautiful technique I work with is verre églomisé. It’s the ancient process of applying both a design and precious metals onto the reverse side of glass to create a decorative mirrored surface. There are so many different effects to utilise in order to create a really diverse range of styles. I’m really interested in using heritage techniques, applied in a modern style. I use incredibly delicate thin sheets of precious metals, predominantly gold. I really enjoy how this work makes you focus on your body during the creative process. If you move too quickly or even breathe too hard across the gold it can crumple into a tiny ball. The process reminds me of meditation, you have to work in harmony with the material.
Image: Ruth Parker Art.
What is the process when creating bespoke mirrors relating to commercial projects?
I love the challenge of working on commercial projects as it really expands the way I think about my own creative process. When working in my independent studio practice, the artwork generally exists within the parameters of the frame, whereas in commercial interior projects it needs to feel harmonious within the whole space, and one that is highly stylised.
Most designers that I work with want me to create something bespoke for that project, so I work closely with them to really understand their vision. I enjoy the challenge of making the raw materials I work with achieve that designer envisions. For complex projects I often produce a lot of samples to experiment with and find the best way of achieving the right aesthetic. It’s a fine balance of the extensive working knowledge of the materials and also allowing space to be playful to find new and interesting applications. For a handmade product it's also really surprising how much initial R&D time I spend on the computer to help me visualise the work. Each piece is incredibly time consuming and I’m very obsessed with all the tiny details!
Image: The Disgruntled Chef Singapore, Interior Design by Rockett Studio, collaboration with Ruth Parker.
In addition to your studio, you've worked with renowned brands, designers and architects, how do you approach each individual project?
Often I create work for luxury brands so it's really important that I work to their exacting standards, with a really intricate eye for the details and the finish. Modern interior design schemes are so innovative, the spaces sometimes almost feel like art installations, created to elevate the visitor experience of that brand. It’s really exciting working with such talented designers who are leading the way in their creative field.
A really satisfying element of these projects is working to such a large scale. It brings challenges with lots of technical consideration, actually handling and making the work is very physical. It is very satisfying to see how dramatic an impact my work can have on an interior.
Project: Atkinson’s 1799, Mayfair London, photo by Michael Franke.
You worked on the Disgruntled Chef Singapore project by Rockett Studio, can you tell me more about your brief and your approach to the project?
I have worked with Geila on a number of projects and she’s a really great designer to collaborate with. What I really like about her approach is that she very clearly communicates her vision for the design and how all the details and finishes will reflect this. Rockett’s brief for The Disgruntled Chef talked about a contemporary plantation theme with beautiful materials like silk wall coverings, herringbone ash flooring and a colour palette of teal and coral. They then allowed me space to think about how my mirror designs could interpret that vision. I produced computer visualisations showing how my artwork would work on the mirrored surface. Through this process and looking at my samples we worked together quite organically to refine and expand the designs. It was a really creative and enjoyable dialogue between myself and Rockett’s team.
Image: The Disgruntled Chef Singapore, Interior Design by Rockett Studio, collaboration with Ruth Parker.
For more information, please visit: www.ruthparker.co.uk