“These vessels are both functional and enveloping, they embody the preservation of materials and the containment of things precious to us, symbolising fragments of history, reflecting the every day, and conversely the revered. My vessels narrate a story, from where they came, and their reason for being.”

Karl's inspiration for his work comes from “tephra”. Over 4,000 years ago during a series of particularly explosive volcanic eruptions in the Arctic Circle micro-shards of glass, referred to as “tephra” from the Greek word meaning “ash”, were ejected and eventually fell to Earth onto peatland across Ireland becoming incorporated into the growing bog, waiting to be discovered. This direct relationship between Landscape and Man is reflected in Karl's work by the application of heat, gravity and elemental erosion through the process of kiln-forming, slumping, diamond engraving and finally fire-polishing. This ever evolving process, over a period of thirty days, creates and ultimately reveals the “alchemy” inherent within each unique piece.

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