RICHARD PRICE is a European Briton with rich Asian influences. He was born in the United Kingdom and lived there for more than 23 years. Fire and ovens and furnaces have always fascinated him. As a teenager he built ovens in his parents garden. At the age of 18 he discovered a glass furnace at his local artschool. After graduating in Art and Design with strong glass base he moved to the Netherlands. He studied at the famous Gerrit Rietveld Academie. Under the guidance of tutors Richard Meitner and Mieke Groot he was able to explore the material glass more expressively and freely.Since 1983, Richard has lived and worked in Amsterdam. He is a master craftsman in the techniques of casting (pâte de verre) and blowing. He travelled frequently to France and Italy, to assist Italian master glassblowers. He appreciated the opportunity to observe and learn from such masters  who have complete control over the material glass.He used much of this knowledge in his own work, but also to benefit dozens of European artists and designers that he works for. Since 1990 he has travelled extensively in Thailand. This country has become his spiritual home with its family centered communities. Much of his inspiration for his glass works comes from his life, from women, children, nature, history, Buddhism, ships, horses and flat lands of Goole, his childhood home, situated on the banks of the river Ouse. English roses, birds, friends’ babies, cuddley toys, Asian friends, headdresses, body ornaments are all areas that he draws from. The British humour and contradiction in his work are that the beautiful figurative sculptures and portraits are literally put behind bars or are so abundantly decorated with natural, colourful and golden details, that they seem weighed down by the overflow. The decorations form an armour to guard the sculptures against outside advances.Richard says: “We live in beautiful cages built by us to give the illusion of freedom, which we enter willingly”.

Amsterdam, March 2005

Written by Annelien van Kempen, glass of identity

For more information about Richard Price, see his website; http://www.richardprice.nl/