Biography
Alison Lowry is a glass artist living and working in Belfast. In 2009 she graduated from the University of Ulster with a first class Honours degree in Art and Design. Since then she has won numerous awards including first place in the category ‘Glass Art’ at the Royal Dublin Show in 2009, the Silver medal at the Royal Ulster Arts Club’s Annual Exhibition in 2010 and the Warm Glass Prize in 2010 and 2011. Lowry employs a range of techniques to create her sculptures, working with cast glass and pâte de verre. Alison Lowry exhibits both locally and internationally and her work is held in several public collections. Her work is inspired by her interest in objects and antique Irish textiles. This fascination with lace and embroidery started with some family ‘heirlooms’, a collection of beautiful and intricate Irish white work hand made by female relatives generations ago. Lowry says, ‘These beautiful works of art were utilitarian items such as tablecloths and sheets and must have taken years to embroider. At the time they were considered to be mere ‘women’s work’ and definitely not art. Part of my practice tries to redress this balance by creating sculpture out of these much misaligned fabrics.”
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2022 The Bystander effect, An Tain, Dundalk
2021 The Bystander effect, Golden Thread, Belfast
2019 Alison Lowry: (A)Dressing Our Hidden Truths, National Museum of Ireland, Dublin
2018 The New Wallace Collection, RSpace Lisburn, Northern Ireland
2017 (A) Dress, Millennium Court Arts Centre, Portadown, NI
2016 To Contain: An exploration of the vessel, Framewerk, Belfast, NI
2015 Contained, S12 Gallery and Workshop, Bergen, Norway
2015 A place for everything/Everything in its place, The Study, Ebeltoft Glass Museum
Selected Group Exhibitions
2022 A Nation under the Influence: Ireland at 100, Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris, France
2021 Made in Ireland, National Design and Craft gallery, Kilkenny, Ireland
2020 The United, Pittsburgh Glass Centre
2020 Home Truths, Engage Arts Centre, Galway
2019 Beauty and his Beast, European Glass Festival, Poland
2018 Homo Faber, Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Venice
2018 Breaking the Mould, London Glass Blowing, London
2018 Collect Open, Saatchi Gallery, London
2017 Irish Glass Biennale, National College of Art & Design, Dublin
2017 British Glass Biennale, Ruskin Glass Centre, England
2017 Portfolio:Critical Selection, National Craft Gallery, Kilkenny
2017 Emerge/Evolve, Bellevue Arts Museum, Seattle, USA
2016 Emerge/Evolve, Pittsburgh Glass Centre, USA
2016 Emerge/Evolve, Bullseye Resource Centre, Bay Area, USA
2016 Bravura, Blue Egg Gallery, Wexford, Ireland
2016 European Glass Context- curated, Bornholm, Denmark
2016 Glass in Focus, Cill Rialaig Exhibition Centre, Co Kerry, Ireland
2016 Emerge 16, Bullseye Projects, Portland, USA
2015 Made London, Marylebone, London
2015 National Glass Centre display case, Sunderland
2015 Four Corners of Craft, London Design Festival, London
2014 Handmade in Britain, Old Chelsea Town Hall, London
2014 Body Talk, Ebeltoft Glass Museum, Denmark
2013 Water Ways, Waterways Ireland Visitors Centre, Dublin
2013 Sculpture in Context, Dublin Horticultural Gardens
2013 Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin
2013 OMG, Red Cone Glass Centre, Stourbridge, UK Glass, Cupola Gallery, Sheffield, UK
2013 New Glass – Old Skills, Broadfield House Museum, UK
2013 Perspective – Inspiration Uncovered, Craft Central, London
Awards
2023 Rosy James Award, Arts Council of Northern Ireland
2018 Support for the Individual Artist, Arts Council of Northern Ireland
2017 Culture Ireland Award : GB18
2016 Support for the Individual Artist, Arts Council of Northern Ireland
2014 International Artist Fund, Jointly funded by the British Council & Arts Council of Northern Ireland
2013 Support for the Individual Artist Program, Arts Council of Northern Ireland
2012 Individual Artists Award, City of Culture Derry-Londonderry
2012 Friends of Northlands Financial Assistance
2012 Support for Individual Artist Program, Arts Council Northern Ireland
2011 Making It, Program participant, Craft NI
2011 Support for Individual Artist Program, Arts Council of Northern Ireland
2011 Future Makers, Studio Assistance Award, Crafts Council of Ireland
2010 Exhibitions Fund for Year of Craft, Crafts Council of Ireland
2010 Personal Development Fund, Crafts Council of Ireland
2010 Support for Individual Artist Programme, Arts Council of Northern Ireland
Collections
2019 National Museum of Ireland
2017 Arts Council of Northern Ireland Permanent Collection
2016 National Museum of Ireland, Dublin
2016 Arts Council of Northern Ireland Permanent Collection
2015 Ebeltoft Glass Museum
2015 Lisburn and Castlereagh Council
2014 Tower Museum, Derry
2014 Office of Public Works, Ireland
2012 Gangtai Art Museum of Shanghai Gang Tai Cultural Development Company
2012 Chinese State Councilor of the PR, Permanent Collection
2012 Arts Council of Northern Ireland Permanent Collection
2011 Art Collection, Europol Headquarters, The Hague
2010 Arts Council of Northern Ireland Permanent Collection
2009 Permanent Collection, University of Ulster, Belfast