ABOUT
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Grace graduated with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art from the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) Canterbury in 2017. She created visual narratives through still images, predominantly using photography and printmaking. During her time studying in Canterbury, she visited the Cathedral and developed a strong interest in the stained glass not only for its beauty but for its incredible story telling and historical significance. After graduating in 2017, Grace wanted to learn the traditional craft of stained glass, and after completing a short course in London, she started making her own artworks.​
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In 2018, she gained a 2 month work internship at Chapel Studio in Kings Langley. This introduced her to the conservation and restoration of stained glass and gave her the opportunity to develop further, her practical skills of the craft. Following this experience, she was employed at Reading Stained Glass, repairing and creating domestic stained glass windows. During this time, Grace became passionate about pursuing a career combining her artistic skills with her care for heritage and historic art, particularly within stained glass. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
In 2020, Grace enrolled in the MA in Stained Glass Conservation and Heritage Management at the University of York. During her time studying, she spent a 3 month placement, conserving the stained glass collection at Highcliffe Castle in Dorset. The collection encompasses pieces from across Europe dating from c1400- 1840. In 2022, Grace undertook research for her dissertation in the recovery, documentation and restoration of stained glass lost painted detail, through the use of digital enhancement techniques. Her research was tested on stained glass from the collection at Highcliffe Castle and looked at the potential use of screen printing in the restoration of lost painted detail.
Since finishing her Masters degree in 2022, Grace joined the York Glaziers Trust as a conservator. Her specialist areas involve conservation and glass painting. She has worked on conserving stained glass from York Minster, Great Malvern Priory, Merton College (Oxford) and North Moreton. She has created painted restorations for lost areas on the St. Cuthbert window of York Minster, Merton College Old Library and window s2 from North Moreton.
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​"Being a conservator of historical stained glass has to be one of my greatest achievements and the work I am most passionate about. Being able to care for this craft, to see up-close details created by the most skilled of craftspeople right back to the middle ages and being a part of its existence into the future is the most rewarding work that I am proud to be a part of".
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Along side her work as a conservator, Grace makes traditional and contemporary stained glass artworks. Natural forms, art nouveau and Japanese art often influence her designs.
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"What I try to capture in my stained glass creations, is the ethereal nature that stained glass intrinsically has. The beautiful contrasts within the materials, in terms of the transmitting and obstructing of light. It is important to me that the lead is not only used for its structural stability, but is to be used as an integral part of it existing as a work of art. In my work, the design of the lead matrix is to evoke a sense of fluidity within the piece and symbolises its very structure; malleable but at the same time, incredibly strong! I like to use varying types of glass, as the light transmitting through the different colours and textures creates subtle but fascinating effects".
