About

Gregory John Ford is an artist based in North Devon working in three main areas:  sculpture, graal glass and paintings.

A passion to create has been with me since as far back as I can remember, I grew up in extremely creative and well-resourced surroundings. I have gone on to develop my own creative environment which has been a huge driving influence for my work.

On a human level there have been two significant influences:  one being dyslexia, which I feel has amplified my visual internalisation of creative ideas.  The second is not seeing in perspective which has heightened my need to explore form in a three dimensional way.

Sculpture –  I use a wide range of materials and skills to make my sculptures. There is one material which is very important for me,  glass and the effect that light has on it,  giving highlights on the form which I feel gives life to the sculpture. Like the effect of sunlight on a stained glass window.  Each sculpture has its own journey to take, spans a period in my life with its own set of influences.   Another important factor for me is the scale of the sculpture and its impact on the observer and the space it fills. Some of my figurative sculptures are loosely based around angel forms, this is something that I have been drawn to since my very first sculpture.  Someone once said ‘You are an angel maker’, this thought has stayed with me.  I try to create something that has a figurative presence and an impact on the space and people in that space

Graal Glass – was a technique that I was lucky to grow up around and engraved my first piece when I was 7 years old.  It is a glass making technique that has its origins at Orrefors in Sweden and came to me through my father working with Eva Englund and subsequently with Neil Wilkin at Dartington Crystal.  It is an interesting technique that engulfs the imagery inside the glass form. I am currently working with the glass maker Sonja Klinger from Frome.

Paintings – I work with acrylic on canvas, this is a fun side of my creative work, it enables me to work and play fast and confidently.  There are many more decisions that I can make when painting, I try to use a rhythm and layering of colour to create space.  My paintings are firstly a quest looking for space and perspective that I do not see,  influenced by the spectrum of colour and  light.