Tsg bob crooks catalogue

Bob Crooks Alchemy

Bob Crooks Alchemy 1-30 August 2014

16 Dundas Street, Edinburgh EH3 6HZ 0131 558 1200 mail@scottish-gallery.co.uk www.scottish-gallery.co.uk

Front cover: detail from Lineweavers: The Golden Selection Left: Concision & Grace I, Turquoise Vase, 39 cms H x 30 cms W x 8 cms Depth

foreword We are delighted to have Bob Crooks return to The Scottish Gallery as part of our suite of Edinburgh International Festival exhibitions for 2014. Rose Watban from National Museums Scotland is the natural choice to introduce Bob’s work, the NMS has a particular interest in modern glass, and in 2009 was gifted an important collection of international contemporary glass from Dan Klein and Alan J. Poole.

Bob’s first exhibition at The Gallery in 2006 was Colour Reflection Refraction which marked a new phase in his work following his move to Devon in 2002.

Another exhibition followed in September 2008, on the eve of the financial crisis and the artist’s commitment to his craft has been unswerving, despite the costs of running a state-of-the-art hot glass studio through difficult times. Fast forward six years and Bob Crooks presents Alchemy, which brings together a stunning collection of new work, a creative tour de force full of daring and imagination.

There is work on a grand and tiny scale and several new series which includes still life groups which seem to amplify his iconic use of colour. Devon is still the main inspiration behind the work; the landscape is the anchor for his forms and the pattern and colour of the flora is the source of his vivid colour palette.

The cherry blossom trees in Bob’s garden are the source for the intense Cherry Blossom pieces, whilst Manet and Van Gogh are the inspiration behind the Concision & Grace series. The Lineweavers mark a new phase from single blown pieces to interconnected still life groups which derive from the landscape. There is so much joy in this work; I look forward to watching the light travel through the glass and delight as the colours dance in the gallery.

CHRISTINA JANSEN

Bob Crooks Alchemy The Oxford Dictionary defines Alchemy as A seemingly magical process of transformation, creation, or combination making Alchemy the perfect title for this exhibition of exquisite and varied new work from Bob Crooks.

One of the Uk’s leading glass artists Crooks is a master of numerous hot and cold glass techniques and is capable of manipulating these traditional skills in order to create unique work. As well as challenging the process and material Crooks has the drive and ambition to push the boundaries of his own practice whilst referencing his previous work to maintain continuity. It has been said that Crooks’ work is inspired by geometry, architecture, nature and the man-made as well as the qualities and capabilities of the glass itself. I asked Crooks what the inspiration was for such a diverse body of work to be told that inspiration came from many different sources and that he had set out to make a very wide-ranging collection of work, which would tell different stories, highlight changes in scale but still form a cohesive exhibition. A self confessed multi tasker Crooks has the fortitude to juggle complex ideas and complex creations in the belief that the viewer will understand his progressive journey through the finished work and he has certainly accomplished his goal.

In a departure from the multi-coloured mosaic vessels associated with Crooks’ work the Japanese cherry blossom trees in his garden were the inspiration for the astonishingly beautiful Cherry Blossom Flower Bombs.

At first glance they seem to be a straightforward simple form however, on closer inspection, they reveal intricacy, delicacy and even fragility. The success of this group is partly the vibrant colour of the Flower Bombs but also the juxtaposition with the brittle stacked slate base. The individual and multiple Flower Bombs are both effective because they are convincing as cherry blossom. There are, of course, some of the signature mosaic vessels included in the exhibition. These vessels are often inspired by the contours of ordinance survey maps and combined with the technical brilliance of their production they make a dramatic statement.

Dan Klein described Crooks as a colourist and the Lineweavers Series illustrates this perfectly with identical colour groups and groups made up of tonal colours. The diversity of scale and form build striking assemblages with The Monochrome Set my personal favourite. Crooks says his aim was to use a variety of

colours some sombre, some electric and leaving behind the muted palette of Lineweavers the multi-coloured Complexity Vases, which took inspiration from the work of Bridget Riley, mixed with reticello pattern on both sides, have an Op Art appearance. Despite the inspiration and intelligent thought processes the work in this exhibition would not be possible without Crooks’ vast experience and expertise in glass blowing. Reticello, a type of blown glass made with glass canes ordered in a crisscross pattern to form a fine net pattern, is probably the most famous Venetian glass technique dating back to at least the 16th century and requires great skill to achieve the kind of results evident in Crooks’ work.

Millefiori, Italian for one thousand flowers, was invented by the ancient Egyptians. It was developed by the Romans in the 1st century BC and revived and improved by Venetian glassmakers in the 15th century.

Milllefiori is made by fusing together a bundle of thin coloured glass rods. The bundle is pulled, cooled, and cut in a cross-section to produce small disks with designs resembling flowers. The disks are applied to hot blown glass which is reheated and blown for a second time creating a complex ornamented piece. This technique is epitomised in the Concision & Grace Series which developed from Vincent vases commissioned by the Royal Academy in London. As a result of the techniques involved the Concision & Grace Series are more sophisticated than their predecessors and demonstrate Crooks attempt to perfect his techniques and advance his work. Whilst this series follows on from the Vincent vases it is clear that landscape is the inspiration for the work, whether informed by Van Gogh’s work or the Devon countryside. The way Crooks layers colours allows him to achieve a very distinctive palette.

The work in this exhibition, like all Crooks’ creations, demonstrates a passion for the process, material and an attention to fine detail along with a tireless work ethic.

Rose Watban Senior Curator Modern & Contemporary Design National Museums Scotland

[Bob Crooks works in] a highly disciplined daily routine from early till late. The studio must be kept immaculate, the furnace at the right temperature and filled with glass, all the machinery and tools in ship shape. Only then can the excitement of glass blowing begin. Part of the time is devoted to blowing, part to cold working and part to working things out in one’s head. Ideas happen all the time with this way of making.

Even mistakes can be inspirational and lead to new departures. Athleticism and quick decision making are essential in hot glass blowing. This appeals greatly to Bob Crooks’ somewhat impatient nature. The storm and stress of a hot glass workshop are what gets his creative juices flowing, the agitated process in and around the furnace. There is more time for reflection and refinement in the cold working studio. The whole process, with a magic all its own, combines the excitement and danger of heat with the cooler activities of cutting and polishing. Š Dan Klein, 2006

Bob Crooks making Flowers for the Cherry Blossom Flower Bombs from individually hand-pulled canes.

1 Tall Grey & Purple Flower Vase 65 cms H x 37 cms W x 15 cms Depth

2 Tall Flower Bowl 46 cms L x 40 cms H x 18 cms Depth

The delicacy, colour, layering, fragility and vulnerability of the cherry blossom has fed into these intricate pieces. In this series, Bob has tried to capture a moment in nature.

3 Cherry Blossom Flower Bomb on Slate 41 cms L x 19 cms W x 8 cms H including Slate

4 Triple Cherry Blossom Flower Bomb 51 cms L x 14 cms H including Slate

5 Single Cherry Blossom Flower Bomb on Slate 26 cms L x 12 cms H including Slate

Concision & Grace Series

In 2010, the Royal Academy of Arts, London invited Bob to make a series of special pieces inspired by the work of Vincent Van Gogh to accompany The Real Vincent Van Gogh: the Artist and his Letters. This lead to the creation of a series of Vincent vases, which were made as a limited edition. Bob wanted to develop this series into one off art glass forms, using more intense techniques. These pieces incorporate several different glass techniques – an initial base colour is layered with a multi-coloured trail creating an ‘embryo’. This is then cooled and faceted through a multi-layered trail of glass. The glass is then re-heated and further hand-pulled using patterned canes – these are called millefiori, which are added to the hot glass, then covered in clear glass and blown to its full size. The title for this series Concision & Grace refers to a quote from Robert Hughes, in reference to Van Gogh.

6 Concision & Grace V Turquoise Bowl 30 cms H x 30 cms W

Bob Crooks draws inspiration from the process itself. He enjoys striving for perfection and the only way of achieving this is by repetitive making whilst trying for a better result each time. There is always room for just that little bit of something extra, more expression, more fluidity, more colour control. Every artist looks for inspiration. Bob Crooks finds it in shifting imagery and distortion. Š Dan Klein, 2006

7 Concision & Grace I Turquoise Vase 39 cms H x 30 cms W x 8 cms Depth

8 Concision & Grace III Grey 40 cms L x 30 cms W x 19 cms H

9 Concision & Grace IV Purple 35 cms L x 30 cms W x 20 cms H

10 Concision & Grace II Green Vase 49 cms H x 25 cms W x 9 cms Depth

LINEWEAVERS Series

Bob Crooks wanted to create a series of thought-provoking groups addressing the use of colour and form, and looking at the relationship that could exist between multiple forms. He is particularly interested in form, pattern and colour and by developing groups, he hopes to bring all these elements together harmoniously. Lineweavers are made in sections, the axis of the glass is changed several times before threaded trails of hot glass are added. The subsequent forms suggest a ‘conversation’ and a still-life group is created.

Detail from Lineweavers: Spectrum Skyline

11 Lineweavers: Purple Haze Three Pieces In Situ - 65cm L

12 Lineweavers: The Monochrome Set Five Pieces In Situ – 94 cms L

13 Lineweavers: Spectrum Skyline Seven Pieces In Situ – 114 cms L

14 Lineweavers: The Golden Selection Five Pieces In Situ – 112 cms L

15 Lineweavers: Neon Trio Three Pieces In Situ – 65 cms L

Above all Bob Crooks is a colourist who makes colour sing and dance. By layering colours he achieves a very individual palette. His bright patterning is rhythmic, light hearted and informal.

Because of the fluency one forgets that it is born of great technical ingenuity and consummate skill.

The patterning starts with the making of small pebble shaped objects, each one enlivened with a distorted grid of trailed lines. These are laid out to look something like one of his beloved ordnance survey maps and then picked up as a hot glass bubble is rolled over them. During the process of blowing the pattern becomes stretched and distorted and the ‘pebbles’ merge into one another.

The technique, a distant relative of the age-old ‘murrhine’ technique, is an inspired invention and allows for variations that will last a lifetime. More and more the forms and contours he chooses complement his liquid imagery: the combination of vivid colours, nervous patterns and fluid shapes works brilliantly. © Dan Klein, 2006

16 Mini Mosaic Low Form 26cm W x 16cm H

17 Mini Mosaic Tall Form 35 cms H x 18 cms W

18 Mini Mosaic Low Form 28 cms W x 16cm H

19 Complexity Vase Multi Coloured 54 cms H x 38 cms W x 14 cms Depth

20 Complexity Vase Bright 66 cms H x 33 cms W x 13 cms Depth

21 Complexity Vase Amber, Ruby, Purple 56 cms H x 36 cms W x 14 cms Depth

BOB CROOKS Born 1965, London 1985-89 West Surrey College of Art & Design, BA (Hons) 1990-94 Set up hot glass studio for First Glass, Newent, Gloucestershire 1994-2002 Set up hot glass studio for First Glass, Clapham, London 2002-Present Hot glass studio, Devon SELECTED SOLO & PAIRED EXHIBITIONS 2014 The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh 2013 John Noott Galleries, Worcestershire

Bob Crooks, Manet Mosaics, Royal Academy of Arts, London

Jam, Eton 2012 New Leaf Gallery, Monmouth 2011 Neville Johnson, London 2010 Old Court House Gallery, Cumbria

Bob Crooks, Vincent, Royal Academy of Arts, London 2009 Cowdy Gallery, Gloucestershire 2008 The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh 2007 Cecilia Colman Gallery, London

Jam, Eton 2006 The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh Susan Megson Gallery, Gloucestershire 2005 Church Gallery, Devon

Norton Gallery, Spain 2003 Susan Megson Gallery, New York

Bob Crooks & Ptolemy Mann, Contemporary Applied Arts London Roger Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow

Norton Gallery, Spain

SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh Victoria & Albert Museum, London Bristol Museum & Art Gallery Broadfield House Glass Museum, Stourbridge European Museum of Modern Glass, Germany The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge Crafts Council, London Mobile Museum of Art, Alabama, USA Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool Museums Ruskin Glass Centre, Stourbridge Cowdy Gallery Contemporary Glass Collection, Gloucestershire Manchester Metropolitan University Anglo American Art Collection, London The Sainsbury Collection, Norwich Anthony House Collection, Cornwall Standard Life Art Collection, Edinburgh British Council Collection, London Dan Klein & Alan J. Poole (Private Collection), London

Published by The Scottish Gallery to coincide with the exhibition Bob Crooks - Alchemy 1-30 August 2014

Bob Crooks would like to thank the following:

Exhibition can be viewed online at www.scottish-gallery.co.uk/bobcrooks

Christina Jansen and Bryony Windsor from The Scottish Gallery, for the opportunity of this exhibition and the work that goes into it

ISBN: 978-1-910267-00-4

Our fantastic photographer Ian Jackson who continues to capture the work so completely

Designed by www.kennethgray.co.uk Photography by Ian Jackson Printed by J Thomson Colour Printers All rights reserved. No part of this catalogue may be reproduced in any form by print, photocopy or by any other means, without the permission of the copyright holders and of the publishers.

16 Dundas Street, Edinburgh EH3 6HZ 0131 558 1200 mail@scottish-gallery.co.uk www.scottish-gallery.co.uk

To my business partner Sarah Edwards and our assistant Matthew Walsh without which the work in this show would not be possible

Rose Watban, National Museums Scotland Alan J. Poole for kind permission to use Dan Klein’s essay from 2006 To all the collectors that have and continue to support the work