Opaline Infusion, a white & clear fluid cast glass sculpture by Helen Restorick

Having initially studied medicine and genetics, Helen Restorick moved her attention away from science to art, culminating in her studying for her MA in glass at the University for the Creative Arts, Farnham, in 2023. Often perceived as vastly differing, the scientific and the artistic are firmly connected, with examples to be found both historically, as well as in a more contemporary light. Therefore, this change in direction is not so unusual as it first might seem.

Taking much influence from her former career, Restorick methodically explores the properties and manipulation of kiln-formed glass, often referencing biological or medical themes. Primarily exploring flow patterns in glass, Restorick is fascinated in the movement and displacement that occurs during the casting process, when glass is heated allowing it to become viscous, yielding to reshaping via the use of moulds.

However, Restorick is not only interested in the above set of specific conditions she places her glass under, but also the effects of heat when combined with the pull of gravity on her softened glass. It is this crucial pairing that once harnessed, produces her arresting linear patterns, suspended within these solid yet translucent artworks.

Additionally, echoing aspects of her former career, Restorick has established a link between the movement of molten glass to that of other viscous fluids, such as blood. By using a little fluid dynamics knowledge, she can determine via form of flow, whether the end result will have a laminar (steady) or a turbulent design. She has discovered that the slightest adjustment to certain variables, by layering and directing the flow, can immensely affect the outcome, resulting in novel and dynamic patterns. With her continuing glass investigations, there is much anticipation as to what she will further discover and the new characteristics that her glass is yet to reveal. In the artist’s own words:

“Finding glass as a medium to create with has been part of a rewarding and fulfilling journey for me. It has been a way of developing part of my identity beyond my previous career in medicine. I think inevitably, I have incorporated many aspects of related disciplines into my artwork and it has been important part of the process for me.” Helen Restorick lives and works in Surrey. Having completed her a MA in Glass at the University for the Creative Arts, she is currently continuing her research there. She has exhibited in the UK, Germany and the USA.