Ceramic candymen, glass jet planes and now wax-cast licorice?

“The process of casting glass is slow and requires patience throughout many different steps,” says Simon. “You can work for a hundred hours on a piece, then a bit of plaster gets into the glass in the kiln and in a moment, it’s gone. When I’m working on larger pieces, the stakes feel high as I nurture each sculpture for weeks and weeks, but that’s what makes them precious. The most exciting moment is divesting the plaster off a piece when it comes out of the kiln, the beautiful glow of the glass being revealed and there being no imperfections. It’s an amazing feeling! You’ll hear a cheer throughout the studio.”

Glass is inherently about light, but colour also plays a significant role — which hues does Simon favour? “It may sound strange, but each one of my new twist pieces seems to have its own character. It’s my job to listen and give these guys a colour that suits their personality. If they’re flowing, undulating and relaxed, I might work in brighter colours, whereas more angular, serious forms suit industrial tones. In a show, I’m looking to group colours and forms that talk to each other, that feel like mates.”