Peter Crisp (Australia), glass

Born in 1959, Peter Crisp spent his formative years in the Yass Valley, located in the NSW Southern Tablelands of Australia. His passion for glass making led him to enroll in the Sydney College of the Arts in the early 1980s. At that time, glass making had become part of the college's visual arts degree, starting in 1978. Little did he know that his experimentation with the ancient Egyptian technique of slumped glass would pave the way for his highly sought-after designs, some of which would later be auctioned for substantial sums.

After completing four years at the college, Crisp made the decision to return to his family farm in Bowning. He recognized that if he wanted to establish a successful glass making business, he needed to eliminate the distractions posed by his city friends. Thus, he set about renovating an old cottage on the farm, transforming it more... into what is now known as Crisp Galleries. This involved removing walls, installing kilns, and creating a cement slab for his artistic endeavors.

Crisp's debut exhibition took place at the Mill Gallery in Braidwood, from where he went on to showcase his works in Sydney, Adelaide, and Melbourne. It was through his participation in trade shows held in New York, Philadelphia, Sydney, and Melbourne each year that Crisp managed to secure contracts with major department stores in the United States and the United Kingdom. By the 1990s, his family business was exporting an impressive 10,000 glass pieces with the assistance of six full-time employees.

Around 1997, Vogue Australia approached Crisp with a special commission to create the iconic martini glass that would become synonymous with Bombay Sapphire. His innovative design, a unique chalice infused with blue sapphires, was selected as one of three from around the world to feature in the gin brand's global marketing campaign.

Crisp's creations have found their way into the homes of notable figures such as Prince Charles, George W. Bush, and Tina Turner. His works have been sold in renowned department stores including Barneys New York and Harrods. Furthermore, his artistic prowess has earned him a place in the collections of institutions such as the National Gallery of Victoria and the Queensland Art Gallery. less...