Ray Skene

How did your interest start?

My daughter graduated in ceramics in 1999, she inspired me to follow the sculptural side of her skills, but I chose glass as my material to work with.

How did you train or teach yourself?

There were virtually no teachers of soft glass sculptural around this country at the turn of the millennium, so I emailed Lewis C Wilson (Crystal Myth Glass Studio) to purchase a VHS video set of his Borosilicate sculptural tutorials at the torch. I didn't play at making soft glass beads until I was scheduled to take a lesson at Diana East’s studio in 2001.     

I was privileged to take a summer school course in sculptural soft glass with Lucio Bubacco on Murano Venice.... I didn't want to come home. In 2006 I took a course with Loren Stump in Stourbridge during the Bi-Enial glass festival.  

Where do you see yourself going in the future?

I have recently opened a new 5 torch studio to teach at Model House in Llantrisant after teaching for 4 years at the home studio. I hope to develop a unique style over the next year or so, albeit very inspired by Lucio Bubacco.