About Sandra Young
I have been working as a glass sculptor for more than 30 years, developing techniques to work solid glass rod and tube in the flame to an unusually large scale and detail; working around the physical problems this creates. The flow and translucency of the glass has drawn me to create creatures of myth and magic influenced by the natural world. I also try and recreate the wonder of nature in my realistic birds, animals and flowers of the British Isles and from around the world – particularly endangered species as I am passionate about conservation and protecting our world.
Using only small hand tools, I have developed techniques of working with the flow of the molten glass – always aware of the hidden stresses involved with heating and cooling glass. My hard won skills are equally reflected in my fine miniatures and jewellery. I use metal based glass lustres to give iridescent colour and also layering coloured borosilicate rod to give the effect I want; creating eye canes and for hi-lighting and detail such as the flash of white on a kingfishers head, or the veins in a dragons wing.