Amanda Louden creates beautiful blown glass vessels decorated with Botanical themes, Marine life, Frogs and Insects.
Amanda Louden is a hot glass blower specialising in decorative sandblasting. She graduated from Chisholm Institute (now Monash University) in 1983 with a Bachelor of Art, Ceramic Design with a major in Hot Glass. Since graduating she has continued to blow her own glass which she uses as a canvas for her own designs. She has had several successful solo exhibitions and exhibited in many group shows throughout Australia.
She hires a hot glass studio for a few weeks a year where she is able to make pieces to a preconceived colour and shape spending the remaining months decorating the glass. The process involves masking pieces with tape then drawing images on the surface. The tape is then cut and areas removed before the piece is sandblasted. This time-consuming process is repeated several times to achieve depth and intricacy with engraving often used to add detail.
Her themes include, frogs, insects and marine life but her main focus is botanicals with an emphasis on Australia’s diverse flora. Her pieces have a distinctly Australian feel making them ideal gifts of protocol. International collectors often purchase her work as a memory of time spent in Australia but mostly the works are purchased by collectors who share a love of the subject and admire the artistry of Amanda’s original designs.
Her work is now included in many private collections throughout the world. Notable collections include, The National Art Glass Collection Wagga, the Modern Glass Collection of the Hamilton Regional Gallery and Government House, Canberra.
EXHIBITIONS
1983
Gryphin Gallery. Melbourne.“83 Out”
Chisholm Institute. Melbourne. “Cut and Run”
Meat Market Craft Centre. Melbourne.
1985
MGM Glass Gallery. Melbourne
1991
The Elgin Gallery. Melbourne. Solo.
1993
Oxley College. Melbourne.
Highway Gallery. Melbourne.
1994
Whitefriars College. Victoria. Glass Exposure
The Elgin Gallery. Melbourne. Solo
1995
Society for Growing Australian Plants. Melbourne.
1996
Bamfurlong, Handorf. South Australia. “A Five Five Star Event”.
1997
Carnsworth Art Show. Melbourne.
Caulfield Grammar Art Show. Melbourne.
Tintern Grammar Art Show. Melbourne.
1998
CSDC Exhibition, Melbourne. Solo.
Caulfield Grammar Art Show. Melbourne.
1999
Royal Botanic Gardens. Sydney. “Botanica. The Art of the Plant”
Caulfield Grammar Art Show. Melbourne,
Kirra Galleries, Southgate, Melbourne, Solo.
2000
Berrima Galleries. NSW.
Caulfield Grammar Art Show. Melbourne.
Kirra Galleries. Melbourne. Solo.
Kirra Galleries. Melbourne. Group Show.
2001
Kirra Galleries. Melbourne. Solo
Caulfield Grammar Art Show. Melbourne.
Royal Botanic Gardens. Sydney. “Artisans in the Gardens”
2002
Caulfield Grammar Art Show. Melbourne.
Kirra Galleries. Melbourne. Solo and Group show.
Hillcrest Gallery. Melbourne.
2003
Kirra Galleries Melbourne. Solo.
2003
Caulfield Grammar Art Show. Melbourne.
2003
Beaver Gallery. Canberra.
2004
Kingston Arts Centre. Melbourne. “Local Express”.
Caulfield Grammar Art Show. Melbourne
Monash University Gallery. “25 Twenty Five Years of Monash Glass”.
2005
Monsalvat. Victoria. “Wildlife”.
Caulfield Grammar Art Show. Melbourne.
Kirra Galleries. Melbourne. Solo.
2006
Caulfield Grammar Art Show. Melbourne.
2007
Caulfield Grammar Art Show.
Ferny Creek Horticultural Society. Victoria.
2008
Object Gallery. Sydney. “Botanicals”.
2009
Kirra Galleries. Melbourne. Solo.
Caulfield Grammar Art Show. Melbourne.
2010
Kirra Galleries. Melbourne. “Light in Winter”.
Caulfield Grammar Art Show. Melbourne.
Kirra Galleries. Melbourne. “MM10. Masters and Mentors”.
2011
Kirra Galleries. Melbourne. “Light in Winter”.
Kirra Galleries. Melbourne. “ A Natural World”.
2012
Kirra Galleries. Melbourne. “ A Light in Winter”.
Caulfield Grammar Art Show. Melbourne.
2013
Kirra Galleries. Melbourne. “The Third Dimension, Masters in Carved and Etched Glass”.
Lasting Impressions Gallery. Qld.
Royal Botanic Gardens. Sydney. “Artisans in the Gardens”.
2014
Kirra Galleries. Melbourne. Finalist KIGA. Kirra Illuminated Glass Award.
2015
Lasting Impressions Gallery. Qld.
2016
Kirra Galleries.Melbourne. “Natural Selection” Solo.
