Karen Cunningham
Karen Cunningham | Email
Where and what did you study and what year did you graduate?
Bachelor of Visual Arts Honours, 2005, South Australian School of Art, University of South Australia.
Where did you head after graduating?
From 2006 to 2007 I was an associate in the glass studio at the JamFactory in Adelaide. I have also undertaken glass technical and design workshops in Turkey, Germany, Seattle and attended many conducted by international artists in Adelaide. I was also very fortunate to attend and participate in a masterclass taught by Droog Design cofounder Gijs Bakker, as part of the Xperiment Design Symposium in 2007.
When did you launch your own business?
In April 2008.
What motivated you to start your own business?
At the JamFactory I designed and created both my own product lines as well a range of objects for various clients. Since graduating my product lines remain in high demand. This convinced me that there is a market for thoughtfully designed and well crafted glass objects.
How would you describe your business to someone who didn’t know you?
I am focused on the design and making of blown glass objects. These range from functional tableware to lighting and sculptural pieces.
What are the most challenging parts of being a designer running a small business?
Spreading your focus to include the business side while continuing to produce to a high standard plus dedicate time for new designs.
What inspires your design projects?
The process of working with molten glass. It’s wild. I love the fluidity and physicality of it. I always try to exploit the qualities, movement and versatility of the material.
What are the next steps for you?
I plan to put in to practice what I’ve learned in Springboard – create a brand, develop marketing tools, contact retailers and getting my work out there. I would like to establish an international market and perhaps outsource some of the making. I also want to broaden my design base to include more material.
Karen Cunningham received a scholarship from Arts SA and CraftSouth to participate in Springboard Stage One.
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