Rago Auctions

Australian studio glass artist Giles Bettison was born in 1966 in North Adelaide. He graduated with honors as a glass major from the Canberra School of Art within the Australian National University in 1996. Subsequently, Bettison studied advanced glassblowing techniques with Italian master Lino Tagliapietra at the Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington and at the Corning Museum of Glass in New York.

Among various skills that Bettison developed was facility with the ancient Venetian murrine, or mosaic, glass style, whereby glass canes are cut into cross-sections to reveal elaborate patterns. He meticulously slices and assembles these sheets to construct his luminous vessels. Bettison's pioneering work with murrine represents a fusion of traditional craftsmanship with modern technology, resulting in some of today's most exquisite glass art.

Bettison deftly arranges an interplay of colors, patterns, and forms within his oeuvre. He often evokes the light and palette of the rural or Outback regions of Australia, which hold deep personal significance for him. Bettison's works tend to feature abstract depictions of these landscapes and some creations take on the form of wide-mouthed Aboriginal baskets, resembling delicate textiles crafted from subdued glass. Other examples suggest the appearance of suspended lace or radiate with the warm, earthy hues of crimson and ochre, alluding to rugged Australian vistas.

Throughout his career as an artist, Bettison has also taught glass at schools in Australia, the United States, and Europe. He has been honored on multiple occasions for his glass art, including with an UrbanGlass Award for New Talent in 1999 and by different German and Australian organizations. Along with being exhibited frequently over the years, glass compositions by Bettison are now part of the collections of the Australian National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, the Museum of Design and Applied Art in Lausanne, the Museum of Art and Design in New York City, and elsewhere.