Artists / Rick Cook / Pilbara Vessel
Rick Cook (born William R) was born in Dampier, a Pilbara town, in Western Australia. He moved with his family to Perth in 1980 to complete his schooling before moving to the Margaret River area of Western Australia in 1993. After years of travel to master the art of hot glass blowing, Rick has settled back in the Margaret River with his wife Rebecca, who is also a glass blower, and their two young children.
In 1994, Rick was introduced to hot glass blowing under the instruction of two masters at the Melting Pot. Beginning as a part time assistant, Rick gained his skills and worked his way to the position of production manager. While maintaining his position at the Melting Pot Rick was encouraged to create his own style and pieces and where he also had the opportunity work closely with other glass artists. In 1999 he spent time with Neil Wilkin in Frome in the UK’s beautiful Somerset County. Rick was one of a large team of assistants and worked closely with Neil to produce other European artists work including that of leading artists, Peter Bremers. From the UK, next came a period in the Netherlands working with Floris Meydam.
Returning to Australia, Rick worked with David Hay at Edith Cown University in Western Australia where he assisted with production and exhibitions works for this artist for several years before a move to the Gordon Glass Studio in Victoria working with Eileen Gordon and Grant Donaldson.
Since 2008, Rick has been working from his own purposed built studio on his property where he has become a successful full time glass artist. Rick says it was in Western Australia that in 1994 "my glassblowing journey first began. I have often found myself drawn away, to further my skills, but like a boomerang I always return home.” His work is strong, clean and very contemporary. He experiments with textures and finish to add dimension to his work and some of his strongest decorative influences are organic, ingrained from an early life in the Pilbara. He says: "Glass making feeds my soul, keeping me sane. I never tire of the excitement that overcomes me when opening the kiln for the first time after a days glassblowing. Inspiration is all around me, whether a morning sunrise, the bark on a tree or striations in a rock. If nature cannot inspire you then maybe it is time to check your pulse!”
EXHIBITIONS
2001 South West Survey, Bunbury Regional Art Galleries, Western Australia
2002 Willyabrup Art Prize, Margaret River Arts Council, Western Australia
2003 Best of the West, Kirra Australia Galleries, Federation Square, Victoria
AWARDS & COMISSIONS
Worsley Alumina Award
South West Survey
York Art Prize
Corporate Commission for Chevron
Corporate Commission for LNG Rio Tinto
