J. Lethbridge is from an ex coal mining town in
West Yorkshire. Despite being a self taught potter
from the age of 9, and completing a BA in Ceramics
at Bretton Hall University, J. Lethbridge to glass in
2003. Studying at the International Glass Centre, in
the West Midlands and then later an MA in Applied
Arts at the Royal College of Art, in London,
graduating in 2007.
During his time
at the RCA, and after, James received various
awards and short listings for
prestigious arts prizes, including the short listing
for the Conran Foundation Awards, and The
Bombay Sapphire Prize 2008. Now James works for
private and corporate clients on large scale bespoke
lighting commissions.
J. lethbridges's
work is
devised through the study of botanical sources of
inspiration, - the work exists
as pieces of collected, abstracted, surreal and
almost alien pieces of sculptural glass. Derived
from many different points of reference, such as
twisting vines and microscopic pollen, J. Lethbridge
explores form, space, material and texture, using
only the purity of transparent glass and light.
James's work to date has been described as
'baroque' and at the same time, through the non-
existent use of color, it is perfectly at home within
the minimal Bauhausian architectural cityscape that
we exist in.
Through his work James
attempts to communicate his feelings towards the
material and show a desire to reflect the beauty of
the minimal age we live in, whilst at the same time,
James adds a flourish of organic surrealism.
