Lisa's practice focuses on kiln formed cast glass and incorporates mixed media. Conceptual works are predominantly made with the lost wax technique using refractory moulds. Ideas explore human interference, developments in science and how industry transforms our world.
Cast glass making is a slow process, relying on master moulds to replicate shapes and objects in wax forms to construct works. Investigating repetition of form, using deconstruction and reconstruction methods, alternating between complex and minimal. Concepts and works develop, evolving an existing collection or a new series.
Current work explores the glass material, how it behaves, melts, and flows when heated. Playing with colour transitions or inclusions, so that when you look through the glass it appears as though something is shifting and trying to resurface.
Lisa Bate is a British contemporary glass and mixed media artist, currently living in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, New Zealand.
She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Contemporary Crafts (First Class Honours) 2010 from Falmouth University, where she was drawn to glass material and the complexity of kiln casting. Before immigrating to New Zealand, held the position of Senior Glass Technician at Falmouth University, completing a Postgraduate Certificate in Creative Higher Education in 2013. With experience teaching at several higher education art institutions, spent a term at Elam School of Fine Arts in 2022 as the Ceramic and Casting Technician.
Since establishing her studio and developing her practice in New Zealand, Bate has received several awards, including recipient of First Place at the 17th Estuary Art and Ecology Award in 2023 for her glass wall panels Suspended Deposits (Malcolm Smith Gallery, Auckland). Cast glass sculpture The Pack IV received a Merit Award hosted by the New Zealand Society of Artists in Glass (Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua, Whanganui) in 2022, selected by three honourable guest judges, in recognition of high skill in the medium of art glass. In 2021, received Award of Excellence from The Cleveland National Art Awards, Otago. Works have been shortlisted for the R T Nelson Awards for sculpture in 2022 and 2025, and the Waiheke Art Gallery national Small Sculpture Prize 2020, 2021 and 2022.
In 2020, she was invited to exhibit at the prestigious international glass art exhibition Zwieseler Glasstage, Germany. Her kinetic glass work gained recognition in an Honorary Diploma from the Jutta Cuny-Franz foundation (Museum Kunstpalast in Düsseldorf) in 2011, this work featured in the publication Neues Glas magazine. Bate was awarded a placement on a Metal and Glass Casting Residency between North Lands Creative Glass and Scottish Sculpture Workshop in 2011.
Exhibiting works in Germany, Norway, UK, Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. Works are held in both private and public collections in New Zealand and overseas.
Find her work at Public Record in Auckland or New Zealand Glassworks - Te Whare Tūhua O Te Ao in Whanganui.
