Bio
Jay was born in London, England, but moved to the United States in 1983. In addition to owning Bridgland Studios, a glass art studio, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Jay also teaches and heads the Glass Flameworking Department at The Crucible School of Fire Arts in Oakland, CA. Jay’s drive for perfection of technique and drive for development of style takes him on an annual trek to the mecca of italian art glass, the venetian island of Murano, Italy to work with classical Italian glass maestros.

Artist Statement
My passion for painting met my passion for glass in 1993 in a studio in Oakland, California when I started flameworking borosilicate glass with a team of aspiring glass artists. My enthusiasm, interest and drive for this new medium inspired me to push myself to build both a strong technical and artistic foundation. The fusion between my love of color and the need to create form has driven me expand the limits of glass flameworking over the last fourteen years. Although my technique and style derive from a variety of backgrounds, my work breaks out of the traditional mold. I use classical and traditional glass techniques as a foundation to work from. Color, shape and conceptual form play an integral role in my work. Learning the tradition of glass working coupled with contemporarya art glass concepts has kept my work in a fluid and constant evolution. This evolution stems from both expected and unexpected results that come from hours of experimentation. The development of couture glass derives from my concept of art as fashion. This work allows me to explore and enhance the relationship between us and glass and to create form from air and beauty from fire.

To learn more about Jay and to view his work, visit his website www.bridglandstudios.com

Teaching Areas