Lucas Salton

For Lucas Salton it all started at a dinner party 20 years ago, when he learned of a glassblowing apprenticeship on the Sunshine Coast. This was the beginning of his long and loving relationship with glass which now finds him travelling the world to work with other masters of the medium.

"Glass is alchemic. You mix dirt together, burn it with fire at about 1300 degrees C. which makes it clear and molten, you control it with water, wood, air and steel and never completely master it. I love it" says Lucas when asked about his choice of material.

As a boy he was fascinated by glass and all things shiny and started making small glass animals by sticking broken windscreen glass together he collected from the side of the road with his sister, Larissa. These days, his gallery behind the Imperial Hotel in the main street of Eumundi, his filled of a spectacular array of colourful glass including elegant triffids and striking totems which have fast become his signature pieces.

Lucas, who is also a talented musician, draws his inspiration from rhythm in music, curves in plants, patterns on animals, clouds, landscape, sunsets, the ocean and the material itself. Watching him work, you can feel his passion and depth as an artist as he creates magnificent flowing shapes which come to life before your eyes.

"The material is amazing. It can transmit, reflect and bend light. It is hard, yet fragile - making it precious. My work tends to have clean parabolic lines with rich colour or subtle qualities," said Lucas. "It has an aesthetic sense that interested me after my 6-month artist residency in Japan and one that complements rather than competes with its surroundings".

Lucas has a unique style of creating glass masterpieces which have mesmerized his clients across the globe. His willingness to experiment and challenge the medium has resulted in a spectacular array of artwork and a reputation for excellence. While most glass artists create smaller pieces of build pieces through components, Lucas has continued to experiment with larger pieces demanding incredible physical commitment and patience.