Cornwall


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="665" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/10/Dreya-Watergate-4981-1000x665.jpeg" alt="Dreya Bennett" class="wp-image-35282" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/10/Dreya-Watergate-4981-1000x665.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/10/Dreya-Watergate-4981-800x532.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/10/Dreya-Watergate-4981-768x511.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/10/Dreya-Watergate-4981.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-did-you-become-an-artist-nbsp">How did you become an artist?&nbsp;</h2>



<p>I have always wanted to be an artist. When in primary school, I remember writing it as an answer to the question &#8216;what do you want to be when you&#8217;re older?&#8217;. It took me a while from being in primary school to becoming an artist though. My career took plenty of crazy twists and turns before I set up Dreya Glass. In my twenties, believe it or not, I was a Gladiator (Dreya the Slayer) on the hit TV series and I even went onto win the&nbsp;1996 championship. Subsequently I did a stint as&nbsp;a wing walker with the Crunchie Flying Circus&nbsp;before becoming a professional (World Record breaking) kite surfer! I had so much fun but eventually felt the pull of my first love, glasswork and haven’t looked back.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-can-you-sum-up-your-work-in-a-sentence">Can you sum up your work in a sentence?</h2>



<p>I want my work to change in different light just as the sea does so it has to be reflective, tactile and have texture.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="822" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/work-3-dreya-bennett-1000x822.jpeg" alt="Dreya bennett glass work" class="wp-image-35326" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/work-3-dreya-bennett-1000x822.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/work-3-dreya-bennett-800x658.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/work-3-dreya-bennett-768x631.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/work-3-dreya-bennett.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-your-ideal-working-environment-nbsp">What’s your ideal working environment?&nbsp;</h2>



<p>I love being based in Newquay. I can go out to any of the town&#8217;s beaches to get inspiration and to sketch in the fresh sea air which is wonderful. I will be doing plenty of this during my residency at Watergate Bay Hotel in November. It would be impossible to make my glasswork outside though as I need tools and most obviously a kiln but the next best thing would be to have a studio with far reaching sea views. Unfortunately, I can&#8217;t afford this&nbsp;right now&nbsp;but it&#8217;s a wonderful dream to have!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="665" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/10/Dreya-Watergate-5050.jpeg" alt="Dreya Bennett working sketchbook" class="wp-image-35280" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/10/Dreya-Watergate-5050.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/10/Dreya-Watergate-5050-800x532.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/10/Dreya-Watergate-5050-768x511.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tell-us-a-little-bit-about-your-inspiration-and-process-nbsp">Tell us a little bit about your inspiration and process.&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Certain commissions can take a long time (sometimes years) to develop with many glass samples, drawings and sketches needed. I tend to take lots of pictures of things that inspire me and then try to recreate patterns, shapes and textures from these images. I always have half finished work lying around the studio that I move around or place with or on top of other pieces&nbsp;to&nbsp;see what happens. Some of my best work develops this way.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/10/Cornwall-Dreya-Bennett-1000x667.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-35284" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/10/Cornwall-Dreya-Bennett-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/10/Cornwall-Dreya-Bennett-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/10/Cornwall-Dreya-Bennett-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/10/Cornwall-Dreya-Bennett.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-did-you-have-to-learn-any-new-skills-unrelated-to-painting-to-create-your-works">Did you have to learn any new skills unrelated to painting to create your works?</h2>



<p>I have a degree in architectural stained glass so fusing was a whole new skill that I had to learn.&nbsp;There are so many techniques that can be used in fused glass. I often go on master classes to get inspired with new techniques. I am currently obsessed with working with glass powders directly in the kiln.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-your-favourite-cornish-views">What are your favourite Cornish views?</h2>



<p>It has to&nbsp;be the view coming over the hill to see Watergate Bay as I have such an&nbsp;emotional&nbsp;connection to this place. &nbsp;I grew up there as my parents had a hotel&nbsp;in the bay and I learnt to surf and kitesurf on the beach (getting quite a few scars in the process). </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="844" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2019/11/Watergate-Bay-Hotel-2023-WatergateBayHotel-view-HollyDonnelly.jpg" alt="Watergate Bay Hotel view across Watergate Bay beach Cornwall UK" class="wp-image-29385" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2019/11/Watergate-Bay-Hotel-2023-WatergateBayHotel-view-HollyDonnelly.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2019/11/Watergate-Bay-Hotel-2023-WatergateBayHotel-view-HollyDonnelly-800x450.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2019/11/Watergate-Bay-Hotel-2023-WatergateBayHotel-view-HollyDonnelly-1000x563.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2019/11/Watergate-Bay-Hotel-2023-WatergateBayHotel-view-HollyDonnelly-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2019/11/Watergate-Bay-Hotel-2023-WatergateBayHotel-view-HollyDonnelly-900x506.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>I helped set up the first kitesurfing school there with local businessman Henry Ashworth and I even got married there. Oh, and I set a Guinness World Record, kitesurfing entirely solo from Watergate Bay to Ireland in 2005! In November 2024, I&#8217;m artist in residence for a week at Watergate Bay Hotel. It&#8217;s such a special place for me.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-you-working-on-now">What are you working on now?</h2>



<p>At the moment, I&#8217;m working on a large commission of turtles and jelly fish for a big four storey stairwell in a home being built in Sandbanks. I expect this to take me around one year. I&#8217;m also creating lots of powder-based pieces for my residency at Watergate Bay. There is just not enough time in the day and sometimes it&#8217;s hard to wait to see the result with some firings taking as long as three days!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="975" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Work-1-Dreya-Bennett-975x1000.jpeg" alt="Dreya Bennett Glass Work" class="wp-image-35327" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Work-1-Dreya-Bennett-975x1000.jpeg 975w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Work-1-Dreya-Bennett-780x800.jpeg 780w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Work-1-Dreya-Bennett-768x787.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Work-1-Dreya-Bennett-1498x1536.jpeg 1498w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Work-1-Dreya-Bennett.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 975px) 100vw, 975px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-can-we-see-your-work-this-year">Where can we see your work this year?</h2>



<p>My work is featured in a lot of galleries&nbsp;all over the UK, from the Channel Islands&nbsp;to Scotland but my own gallery on the Killacourt in Newquay has the most one-off unique pieces, alongside work that isn’t&nbsp;available&nbsp;in galleries. Of course,&nbsp;my website also does a great job of showcasing my work&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dreya.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dreya Glass | Fused Glass Artist Cornwall England | Wall Art | Cards | Gifts</a>.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Dreya Glass &quot;In the Studio&quot;" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p3NASDaTO4A?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-do-you-have-a-favourite-work-of-yours-or-one-that-holds-strong-memories">Do you have a favourite work of yours or one that holds strong memories?</h2>



<p>That&#8217;s a hard question as every new piece I create becomes my new favourite piece! I’ll never make the perfect piece, as if I did, &nbsp;I’d never make anything again&nbsp;because&nbsp;what would be the point? You can&#8217;t improve on perfection and improving is all part of the journey.</p>



<p>If I had to choose one piece of work, it would be a simple&nbsp;chunk of glass that I cast which just sits on my desk. It has lots of depth and layers and represents ocean currents with the top textures signifying waves and ripples. I really love it.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-if-you-could-magically-transport-one-piece-of-artwork-in-the-world-to-a-wall-in-your-home-what-would-it-be-nbsp">If you could magically transport one piece of artwork in the world to a wall in your home, what would it be?&nbsp;</h2>



<p>That’s easy. It would be <a href="https://shaynaleib.com/stiniva-ii/">Shayna Leib&#8217;s Stiniva II</a>. She&#8217;s an incredible hot glass worker and this piece is inspired by her time scuba diving. It&#8217;s so beautiful.&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>Dreya Bennett is<a href="https://watergatebay.co.uk/blog/meet-fused-glass-artist-dreya-bennett"> artist in residence</a> at Watergate Bay Hotel from 6 -9 November.</em></p>


Muddy Meets: Dreya Bennett, Glassmaker

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